Clandestino: Sinaloa Cartel Documentary by David Beriain

Original article available at DMAX
Translated by El Wachito

In Spain, the number 13 is the a number that represents bad luck and 18 represents the age when you become an adult. In El Salvador, these numbers are a synonym of death and violence. In our country, the number 701 does not represent anything. In the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, this number represents a symbol of support and admiration towards their "Mr" el 'Chapo' Guzman, who's fortune ranks him in the 701 place of the Forbes magazine. 

The war between the Mexican Cartels has already left more deaths than the number of casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan together. In El Salvador, the murder rate is the same as the one in Iraq during the worst times of the conflict. Journalist David Beriain comes back to DMAX to disclose what, and who hides behind those casualties, that have made Central America one of the most dangerous regions of the planet.

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Gente de la Tia Juana: Report from Culiacan, Sinaloa

Original article available at Gente de la Tia Juana
Translated by El Wachito
Original article was published in February 7th at 2PM

The war for local-drug trafficking has started in Sinaloa between Ivan and Alfredo Guzman against Damaso and his soon "Mini Lic" Lopez.

Firefight where 1 Marine was killed in Culiacan

Everything started in Navolato, Sinaloa, where after the arrest of "El Chapo" Guzman in Mazatlan, Damaso made an alliance with Cesar Carrillo, brother of the "Señor de los Cielos" and enemy of "Chapo" Guzman. 

Ivan and Alfredo were not very happy with the alliance, however after several meetings, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada convince them that all types of "peace making deals" were good.

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Sons of El Chapo claim that Damaso Lopez tried to kill them

Original article available at Debate
Translated by El Wachito

Journalist Ciro Gomez Leyva published in his Twitter account an anonymous letter were it was informed that the sons of the Sinaloan Druglord "El Chapo" were psychically attacked during an armed clash. 

The sons of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman denounced an armed attack, according to journalist Ciro Gomez Leyva from his Twitter account.

According to the journalist, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada was with them during the moment of the attack, however it is unknown if he resulted wounded during the attack.

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Sinaloa: Armed commandos engage in firefights in Navolato *Video and Graphic Content*

Original article available at Debate
Translated by El Wachito

Navolato, Sinaloa.- It was around 16:30 today Tuesday, when neighbors of Villa Juarez reported to the authorities that there was a firefight in several streets of the sector. 

A civilian captured part of the armed commando

 Authorities confirmed that rival groups engage in a firefight. The armed clash left 3 killed people, and one pregnant woman among the victims.

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PGR ordered to pay 13M USD for alteration of drug trafficking plane

Javier for Borderland Beat  translated from Reforma

Cd. de Mexico An aircraft used to traffic drugs, seized in 2000,as a part of a drug trafficking investigation, was found to have been physically altered by the PGR agency (atty general office) .  Because of the finding the two pilots involved and charged in the case, were absolved of all charges, because the  alteration rendered the aircraft unusable in the criminal process as evidence.

Additionally, the alteration will cost the PGR 13.2 million USD

The aircraft was to have been returned to the legal owner,  the firm Servicios (and) Reparaciones Aeronáuticos, but decided instead to keep the jet and add it to the PGR fleet.

Then in 2006, the jet was dismantled and sold as scrap for 70,000 pesos. The rightful owner of the plane filed a lawsuit against the PGR in 2008, and six years later the court ordered an investigation to determine any illegal administrative activity.

The federal court found against PGR in November 2015 and ordered the PGR pay 271 million pesos (13.2 USD) in damages/losses caused to Servicios (and)  Reparaciones Aeronáuticos.

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Leader of the Cartel del Golfo to be extradited to the USA

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Milenio article with additional pictures from the Borderland Beat archive.

Subject Matter: Mario Ramirez Trevino "El X-20" , "El Pelon"
Recommendation: Read this article by our own Chivis

Mario Armado Ramirez Trevino, "El X-20" or "El Pelon", will be extradited to the USA, after a court denied his amparo to avoid being transferred to this country.

Reporter: Ignacio Alzaga
Mario Armado Ramirez Trevino, "El X-20" or "El Pelon", who had affirmed leadership of the Cartel del Golfo, will be extradited to the USA whose Government who put a five million dollar price on his head before his capture by the Army in August of 2013.

On the 15th of November of 2007 he was formally accused by the Grand Jury of the District of Colombia Court under the charges of conspiracy to fabricate and distribute five kilo grams or more of cocaine and a thousand kilo grams or more of marijuana to knowingly distribute illegaly in the United States.

He was in violation of Title 21 of the code of the United States sections 959, 960, 963 and Title 18 section 2, that sanctions to whomever conspires in agreement to distribute shipments of drugs in this country.

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Marines detain "El Cochi" alleged leader of BLO in Nuevo León

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Sinembargo article

Subject Matter: El Cochi, Beltran Leyva Organization
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required

The state informed that in a communication that Palomo Castillo, 27 years of age, was detained in the immediate location of Mariano Escobedo International Airport in the town of Apodaca.

Reporter: Sinembargo Redaction
Elements of the Marines captured Elezazar Palomo Castillo, alias "El Cochi", alleged leader of the Beltran Leyva cartel in the state of Nuevo Leon.

They detailed that "El Cochi" evaded a Naval checkpoint that was established close to the base area, an action that aroused suspicion in the Marines, they ran after the vehicle on foot and detained a person and his vehicle, indicated the document.

Semar explained that Palomo Castillo has two orders of apprehension in the state of Nuevo Leon, for the alleged crimes of aggravated kidnapping and being a member of a criminal group.

El Cochi, they signalled him as an alleged operator of the Beltran Leyva cartel in the town of San Pedro Garza Garcia, he was put at the disposition of SEIDO of the PGR in Escobedo, Nuevo Leon.

Original article in Spanish at Sinembargo

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Guerrero: Police ignore calls for help as 50 sicarios terrorize town

Javier for Borderland Beat material posted on Mx News Daily from Universal and El Sur

It was a night of terror for a small town (330 inhabitants) in Guerrero this week when at least 40 armed men kidnapped seven people, peppered homes with machine gun fire and robbed some residents of cash and belongings.

The attack on Chacotla began at about 10:30pm and wound up some five hours later and despite calls to 911, municipal and state police offices and the Army, authorities didn’t turn up until the following day. The town of is located 40 minutes from the state capital of Chilpancingo.

On Wednesday, five of the kidnap victims were found dead.

Upon their arrival in the town the gang blocked the main road before seeking two people in particular: sons of Gabriel González, also known as El Tigre, a 42-year-old man who no longer lives in the community.

The gunmen took González’ sons, aged 21 and 16, along with their mother before nabbing two of González’ nephews, 22 and 17, from their grandparents’ home.

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Extraditions are complicated

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Zetatijuana article

Subject matter: Extradition of top capos of all cartels
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required

The extraditibles

Reporter: Luis Carlos Sainz
Before an uncertain political collaboration against crime, extraditions could be bogged down between Mexico and the United States. More than 60 narco traffickers and some foreigners are in prison awaiting this process. Before a tightening of security, trade, migration and diplomatic measures from the USA, Mexico has an ace up its sleeve, ensures the Spanish researcher Jesus Perez Caballero. Z-40, La Tuta, El Viceroy, El Cuini, and fugitives like Rafael Caro Quintero, El Mencho, El Azul, and El Mayo Zambada are currency.

Before Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, Mexico delivered in extradition 86 alleged criminals to the United States in a matter of nine months. In exchange the American Government delivered to our country  seven, in the same manner to be processed. Now the panorama in materials of extradition appears uncertain, when there are more than seventy alleged narco traffickers waiting to be sent to the American Union.

The delivery of the ex leader of the Sinaloa cartel during these last days of the administration of Barack Obama as president of the United States could have been the last friendly extradition between these two countries, one can hear the voices of analysts about this subject, into which type of leader Donald Trump will convert into.

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Zetas: "El Cano" Killed in prison, 3 days after his arrest

Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat

Tamaulipas Coordination Group (GCT) confirmed this afternoon that the death of José Luis Cano Lumbreras, 37,   (El Cano), was recorded,  inside the Sanctions Enforcement Center (CEDES) of Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas.

The GCT explained in a statement that the incident occurred shortly before 19:00 pm when the Cano was led to its module after attending a hearing. At that moment he was ambushed by a group of prisoners who, strangled him.

El Cano was Plaza Boss for Vieja Escuela Zetas, or old school Zetas.  He was arrested on Tuesday January 31^st.

Please use this link for detailed background information on El Cano and his arrest,  in Otis' previous post.

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Holland bank "Rabobank" accused of money laundering and colaboration in Mexico crimes

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Riodoce article

Subject Matter: Rabobank
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required

Reporter: Paulo Monaco Felipe for La Jornada
We want Rabobank investigated because they and complicit in narco trafficking and because they are indirectly responsible for the disappearance of a person, and thousands of crimes committed in Mexico, said Fernando Hernandez, academic and Mexican activist who lives in Holland, who is a friend of a person disappeared in Durango in December of 2010, his identity is omitted for reasons of security.

An economist with a Master of Arts in International Development and a Doctorate in Human Geography, Hernandez has studied in England and the United States. Now he lives in Holland and urges legally to the authority of this country that they are required to implement its reputation as defenders of human rights.

Today he filed a lawsuit in the courts, to demand that they investigate the Dutch bank Rabobank for collaborating with the drug cartels in the commission of all kinds of crimes.

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Judge rejects El Chapo's lighter security request, saying "I think we all know the reasons"

By Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat

The defense team of El Chapo sought relaxing of the tough security measures their client is subjected to.

However, Judge Brian Cogan, slammed the door shut on that possibility this morning at the pretrial hearing.  Perhaps assuming that citing the reasons why would be redundant, without mentioning the capo’s previous prison escapes, he simply said;

 "They're taking extra security measures. I think we all know the reasons for that."

The transfer from the ultra-high security SHU unit at Metropolitan Correctional Center in lower Manhattan to a Brooklyn federal courthouse is an indication of what security measures are being taken with El Chapo.

The 12 car convoy caused the outbound Brooklyn Bridge to be closed for 15 minutes.

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El Chapo attended pretrial hearing in NY today

By Chivis for Borderland Beat

Still complaining about accommodations 

“El Chapo” appeared in a Brooklyn, New York, federal courtroom today for a pretrial hearing. 

U.S. Marshalls escorted the Sinaloa capo from high security Manhattan prison cell.

Because of security concerns, last week a judge ordered the hearing to be conducted via web cam, but Chapo requested an in court appearance, which was granted.

Chapo’s 27 year old wife, Emma Coronel, was present in the courtroom, who Chapo quickly spotted as he entered the courtroom, both broke into smiles.

Prosecutors contend that Chapo led the Sinaloa Cartel for 30 years and during that time ordered kidnappings and killing of thousands.

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Commandante Cano of Old School Zetas in Ciudad Victoria arrested in a house belonging to the sister of the ex secretary of Public State Security

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article with additional pictures from Valor por Tamaulipas

Updated 3/2/17 with more information from Proceso

Subject Matter: Ciudad Victoria, Old School Zetas
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required

Reporter: Proceso Redaction
In a rescue operation that freed two people, authorities detained Jose Luis Cano Lumberas, alias El Cano, Pepe Cano, or Commandante Cano, considered as leader of one of the groups that has committed multiple crimes in common law and Federal jurisdiction in Ciudad Victoria.

According to Police files, the group led by Cano Lumbreras has carried out crimes like kidnapping, extortion, robbery and homicides, among others in the Tamaulipeca Capital.

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"EL Lobo"Hodoyan of the CAF gains his freedom

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Zetatijuana article

Subject Matter: Alfredo Hodoyan Palacios
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required

Reporter: Zeta Investigations
After 20 years in prison, Alfredo Hodoyan Palacios, of the Arellano Felix cartel, won an amparo and his liberty. He was exonerated of a quadruple homicide of Federal Agents and a Taxi driver in Mexico City in 1996. Before a Judge had condemned him to 50 years in prison. Statements made against him by persons including Everardo " Kitty " Paez were declared void. "El Lobo" was imprisoned in three Federal Penitentiaries the last of which was Cefereso # 15 in Chiapas. (Otis: El Lobo was one of the infamous "CAF narco juniors", most cartels recruit from the poor and working classes, the narco juniors were sons of well to do families from Tijuana, the narco juniors sought power and status through a life of crime with the Arellano Felix clan).

In 2002, a Judge condemned him to 50 years in prison. He was imprisoned for 20 years in maximum security prisons like Altiplano, also in Tamaulipas and Chiapas. Today he saw Tijuana again, his city, where he had a relation with the Arellano Felix brothers, who he knew since his childhood.

The First Tribunal in Penal Matters of the Second Circuit, with residence in Toluca, Mexio State, conceded an amparo promoted by Miguel Alfredo Hodoyan Palacios and with it his liberty. The Judge of Guarantees left with effect the sentence for the homicides of four persons and associated crimes.

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