One veteran border narcotics agent told FoxNews.com Colorado's legal pot industry will find it hard to keep the criminals from horning in on a lucrative business they once controlled. The arrests and indictments of the 17 defendants were the result of a year-long investigation into a Mexican drug cartel operation that smuggled narcotics into the United States from California to Colorado, according to a statement from the Department of Justice. The Marijuana Enforcement Division of the Colorado Department of Revenue, the primary enforcement office responsible for overseeing the production and sale of the retail marijuana, did not return repeated attempts by Fox News.com for comment. Five pounds of heroin and four pounds of cocaine were also seized during the investigation, which began in 2018. The Biden administration has sanctioned eight Mexican companies it says are involved in a timeshare fraud scheme benefiting the Jalisco cartel, a notorious drug organization that the US government says traffics a significant proportion of the illegal fentanyl and other drugs that enter the US. The violent and powerful Sinaloa cartel forced the Mexican authorities to surrender and hand over El Chapo's son Ovidio Guzman. On Aug. 31, the indictment says, the same confidential informant called Rivera-Beltran again. The locally grown hydroponic or high grade weed has not even slowed the Mexican weed sales? An intelligence report that was reviewed by TV Azteca claimed Mata had a criminal background record in San Antonio, Texas. The car was eventually picked up by Rivera-Beltran after an unsuccessful attempt by Guadalupe Ortiz, and they both drove to Dallas, Texas, arriving on Sept. 18, the indictment says. A Colorado Springs food distribution company and at least six local Mexican restaurants are linked to the Sinoloa Cartel and drug lordsJoaqun El Chapo Guzmn-Lorea and Ismael El Mayo Zambada-Garcia, says a recently released federal complaint providing the first evidence of cartels operating in Colorado Springs. Severe Weather Meth pipeline into Midwest reveals CJNG drug cartel's 'honey hole' Ooooohhhh!!!!!! At least one of the five young men killed by the Mexican military had alleged links to Cartel del Noreste, which operates in the northern border city of Nuevo Laredo across from Texas. Rivera-Beltran responded they would ask "Canelo" (later identified as Cesar Antonio Ortiz) for 100 more "buttons," according to the indictment. KRDO NewsChannel 13 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation. A similar incident occurred on 5 November when a group of cartel gunmen executed a pair of drug dealers from a rival gang on a beach at Puerto Morelos, another popular beach area south of Cancun. RELATED: DEA seizes more than 110,000 fentanyl-laced pills, issues 19 indictments. Since the 1980s, they have dominated the international narcotics trade. The indictment says Escamilla called Antonio Ortiz and told him "everything went to hell and that the police got them." Investigators also followed the vehicle driven by Peterson, watched him transfer the items into another truck, and pulled him over, the indictment says. Drug gangs unleash violence in northern Mexican cities : NPR THE 10 BEST Mexican Restaurants in Colorado Springs - Tripadvisor Texas' most dangerous gangs are Tango Blast and associated Tango cliques, with an estimated 19,000 members, Texas Mexican Mafia, with about 4,100 members, Latin Kings, with 1,300 members, and Mara . Jonathan Aguilar did not survive after he was struck in the temple. The six restaurants and El Potosino which means the one from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, an area associated with drug cartels are accused in a drug-money laundering scheme in the sealed federal complaint filed in November. "Mexican drug cartels in Boulder (Nanooo Nanooo), NORAD Central/ Air Force Academy and Dullsville-Pueblo, too. Rafael Caro Quintero, a drug lord known as "the narco of narcos" who was behind the killing of a US drug enforcement agent in 1985, has been captured by Mexican forces nearly a decade after. We bet you won't be able to guess the #1 U.S. city that is crowded by these violent Mexican drug cartels. All rights reserved. He was shot 12 times and died, Luis Martnez survived after he was shot twice by the Mexican military following a high-speed chase in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, across from Texas. The U.S. has suspended imports of Mexican avocadosas the lucrative fruit continues to play a key role in the turf wars between drug cartels. Rodriguez said he flew to Arizona the previous night to pick up the car which was purchased by a friend and drive it to Denver, the indictment says. Texas sheriff tells Congress nearly 2,000 Mexican drug cartel drones They Bombs Away, Mexico, Yemen, and Somalia! Inside the vehicle, the indictment says, investigators found 5,636.88 grams of cocaine also packaged as bricks with the word "CHANEL" stamped on them. Authorities Say Mexican Cartels In Colorado - CBS Colorado - CBS News (The Center Square) - Law enforcement investigations continue to target cartel-driven drug trafficking networks nationwide as Mexican cartels maintain operational control of the southern border, and transport dangerous narcotics and synthetic opioids to major U.S. cities. During the call, the indictment says, Rivera-Beltran mentioned being "hot" and that "they were going to do better," and that three loads had been taken by law enforcement. The Sinaloa Cartel Is Controlling Water in Drought-Stricken Mexico "Water is now a valuable asset for us, and as it becomes more scarce, the more we will fight to make sure we have enough," a. Twenty-five people have been arrested on drug trafficking charges in the case and five others remain at-large, including four in Mexico. Of the 17 defendants, 11 are from Mexico, four from El Salvador, and two are from California. The Sinaloa Cartel, often described as the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization in the Western Hemisphere, is an alliance of some of Mexico's top capos. It is understood that the mutilated corpse in the video belongs to a gunman working for the Sinaloa Cartel, whose former leader, Joaqun Archivaldo Guzmn Loera, otherwise known . Drug cartel | Britannica Mothers, grab your sons and hold them tightly. Its origins can be traced to the Guadalajara cartel, which was one of Mexico's largest crime organizations in the early 1980s. Hundreds of Mexican soldiers were sent to the border city of Juarez Friday after a prison face-off between members of two rival cartels caused a riot and shootouts that killed 11 people, most of . Mexican drug cartels also convert wealthy Chinese nationals' Renminbi (RMB) to US dollars at a lower rate than the prevailing market rate. This is a very significant operation that took a massive amount of drugs and a large number of drug traffickers off our streets, United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn said in a statement. Authorities believe a woman accessing the safe-deposit boxes faked pregnancies to make deposits, carrying the cash inside of a false belly.. They discussed concern over a camera pointing towards the carport, and the indictment says Rivera-Beltran commented that he would go to the residence of Albert Sanchez Rodriguez or somewhere else. Even back before the break of the war, US gov was warning against going there. "There has also been evidence of the utilization of cryptocurrencies by Mexican TCOs as a means by which to transfer their wealth internationally" said the DEA. Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is the youngest of the top 6 Mexican drug cartels. Surez, who hours before the incident had learned he was going to be a father for the first time, was shot 12 times and died. The U.S. war on drugs began under the administration of Pres. Antonio Ortiz said Rodriguez needed to make up for money that was previously seized by law enforcement, the discussed losing trust in Escamilla, discussed "almonds (believed to be fentanyl pills), and Rivera ended the call by saying he would bring up four more boxes of pills and to kilos of heroin, according to the indictment. On the eve of the Super Bowlwhere the Mexican avocado producers again ran their ad as they have for the past decade . The Zetas were crossing and kidnapping US citizens and in one occurrence, there were more than 150 US citizens rescued back then. You might want to lay off the coffee and keep an eye on the soapbox because you are tripping over it. Video shows Mexican cartel line up rivals for mass execution Boogie! Here are our rankings using DEA's data: Los Zetas Cartel is the only Mexican cartel that uses New Orleans as a major hub. According to their guilty pleas, they also sent. "In recent years, the Gulf cartel has weakened due to the arrest of key leaders in Mexico and intra-cartel conflict, which has led to a decline in its drug trafficking influence in the United States.". Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 22:55 03 Mar 2023, updated 23:04 03 Mar 2023. (AP). How the Avocado Became Key to Mexican Drug Cartel Turf War - Newsweek "Though not as expansive as its rival," the Sinaloa cartel, with which it fought a multiyear war for control of Ciudad Juarez, "the Juarez Cartel continues to impact United States drug consumer markets primarily in Denver, Chicago, Oklahoma, and Kansas City," the DEA reports. Our ranking methodology is quite simple. We ranked each city by the number of different Mexican cartels that use as a distribution hub. Antiono Ortiz the said that he wanted Escamilla to transport $70,000 for him as well, and Rivera-Beltran called Escamilla the next day to confirm the amounts he was taking on the trip. Sinaloa cartel, international crime organization that is among the most-powerful drug-trafficking syndicates in the world. Claims of jury misconduct arose after a juror told VICE News in February 2019 report that several jurors followed media accounts of the three month-long trial. Comments are open to Gazette subscribers only. From Mexican cartel labs to U.S. streets, a deadly fentanyl pipeline DENVER (AP) - The U.S. Department of Justice says two Mexican cartels are active in five Colorado cities. BLO activities remain more dispersed throughout the United States, with heavier concentrations in areas with large heroin markets," said the DEA. Kaitlin is a public safety reporter with a focus on investigations. Investigators said Rivera-Beltran began negotiating with a person later identified as Juan Francisco "Guerito" Sarabia-Mancinas for pounds of meth and pills believed to be fake 30-milligram oxycodone pills. The Portland-based drug network, which stretched into affluent area suburbs, westbound to Oregon's quaint coastal cities and north into southwestern Washington, is emblematic of a key Mexican. A Colorado Springs food distribution company and at least six local Mexican restaurants are linked to the Sinoloa Cartel and drug lords Joaqun "El Chapo" Guzmn-Lorea and Ismael "El Mayo". The eight companies sanctioned on Thursday all claim to either be financial services or real estate firms and are either based in Puerta Vallarta or Guadalajara, according to the Treasury. 'El Nicky', Cartel Assassin from San Luis Ro Colorado, Sonora The legal marijuana industry could be the fastest growing sector of the. The document alleged that Surez was also a member of the Cartel del Noreste. On Sept. 20, the indictment says, Rivera-Beltran called Escamilla, who said he had about $170,000, and told Escamilla to bring $120,000 and leave $50,000. In 2001, he spent $2.5 million in bribes to escape the maximum-security Puente Grande prison in Jalisco, Mexico, in a laundry cart. The 21-year-old was driving the pickup truck that crashed into a parked car after he refused orders from the military to pull over. Richard Nixon. The following items were discovered when investigators searched the Kearney Street address, according to the indictment: According to the indictment, that Corvette was the same vehicle driven by Rivera-Beltran during the two drug deals with undercover officers, according to the indictment. Thursdays sanctions were accompanied by an alert issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control in order to make the public aware of telephone, email, and letter scams involving individuals falsely claiming to represent OFAC and requesting payments. OFAC does not collect this type of payment from the public. 13 gangs and cartels that are working together in Texas - mySA . The next day, the indictment says, agents arranged surveillance on I-70 in Summit County of a car rented in Arizona by Diarte. Antonio Ortiz asked Rivera-Beltran over a call if he had received the "chocolates," believed to be heroin, and asked for "two," believed to be two kilos, according to the indictment. Crime scene photo at Taco Star. Guzman-Loera is the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, becoming involved in drug trafficking in the late 1980s. During the spring of 2020 as Covid-19 was sweeping the world and Mexico, Mexican and international media became mesmerized by how various Mexican criminal groups, including the Sinaloa Cartel . He also told the informant a load he was waiting for had arrived, and he could give the informant 40 pounds of meth, according to the indictment. In April, the indictment says, a confidential informant recorded several phone calls with Padilla-Romo negotiating a $1,600 price for a half-pound of methamphetamine. A video showed a Mexican cartel lining up. RELATED: All-time high overdose deaths in country Colorado deaths up 34%. Rivera said Escamilla had left Colorado to deliver the $170,000, which agents knew to be a lie because Escamilla's GPS pings were still in Colorado, the indictment says. 'The Sinaloa and Juarez cartels are active from the Starbucks locales there in Boulder!' Colorado pot shops likely targets of cartels, say experts RELATED:. "Due to its territorial dominance over areas in northeastern Mexico, the Gulf cartel smuggles the majority of its drug shipments between the Rio Grande Valley and South Padre Island in south Texas," the DEA's report says. There are at least 13 U.S. cities that are used as distribution hubs by the Mexican drug cartels. The rest of the funds were smuggled back in secret vehicle compartments. Jeff Dorschner, Spokesman for the Colorado U.S. Attorneys Office, told Breitbart Texas, During the course of this investigation law enforcement determined that a Mexican Cartel was involved. Castillo said Surez lived with her and that he worked in the construction business with his stepfather. He also made calls to customers and suppliers throughout the month, the indictment says. The vehicles driven by Trevizo and Peterson pulled into the carport. Rivera-Beltran then called Antonio Ortiz and old him "s*** went to hell," and that they needed to save what they could because there was a lot of "work," believed to be drugs, at the house, according to the indictment. At least one of the five young men killed by the Mexican military had alleged links to Cartel del Noreste, which operates in the northern border city of Nuevo Laredo across from Texas. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Legal Statement. In another call on Sep. 27, the indictment says Rodriguez told Rivera-Beltran that the money had been seized, and that Vargas was getting items out of Escamilla's house. In August, the indictment says, agents began wiretaps on the phone number that belonged to Rivera-Beltran. In a conversation with Beltran-Beltran later that day, Rivera-Beltran said that things were bad and the police had gotten Jorge Escamilla and his brother Antonio Lorenzo Escamilla on their way to Arizona, according to the indictment. [The sniper rifles flowing to Mexican. Beltran-Leyva Organization (BLO) is the third most significant Mexican drug cartel in the United States, followed by Juarez Cartel, Gulf Cartel, and Los Zetas Cartel. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. "We still don't know what the fall out will be but when there is this much money involved the potential is great for groups to want capitalize.". On Aug. 2, the indictment says, Zytacua called Amanda Bidgood and negotiated the sale of two grams of meth for $100 to Bidgood. Mexico deploys soldiers & heavy armour to fight Sinaloa Cartel as it goes to MN,IA,MI,WI states like that. plus 'Those cities are Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, Grand Junction, and Longmont. 13 US Cities That Are Crowded By Mexican Drug Cartels - Yahoo! The indictment says Trevizo's vehicle was pulled over by officers after it left the residence. However, the indictment says, Tarango-Rodriguez began speaking to Rivera-Beltran a day later to ask if he had "buttons," which investigators believe meant fentanyl pills. A lot of "somebody's" are buying this stuff cause the shipments keep coming and the dollars keep going to the cartels? Heroin is where their making money. Of the 17 defendants, 11 are from Mexico, four from El Salvador, and two are from California. The Biden administration has sanctioned eight Mexican companies it says are involved in a timeshare fraud scheme benefiting the Jalisco cartel, a notorious drug organization that the US government . Mexican Cartel Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Violating RICO Mexican drug cartels control vast swaths of the US drug market, but that influence remains heavily slanted in favor of the vaunted Sinaloa cartel. With everyone able to buy the high grade maryjuana from dispenseries and or knowing someone who can, no one wants the Mexican brick weed even if it has improved. (File, courtesy of KKTV). Sign up for notifications from Insider! All rights reserved. Sign up for the 9NEWSLETTERright now to get cant-miss stories, Next and Broncos content, weather and more delivered right to your inbox. He told the informant the trap cars he ordered were not ready and had to be redone. Click to see the list of top 5 cities that are crowded by Mexican drug cartels. Sinaloa cartel | History, Activities, Leaders, & Facts | Britannica COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - A Sierra High School student was shot off-campus on Tuesday. They spoke about introducing Escamilla to another undercover agent as well as purchasing some "blues," which investigators knew to be fentanyl pills, the indictment says. Sinaloa Cartel is one of the oldest and most successful drug cartels in Mexico. But, according to the most recent report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sinaloa cartel and traffickers affiliated with it still control the lion's share of the US market for illegal narcotics. "They have found that it's easier to grow and process marijuana in Colorado, ship it throughout the United States, than it is to bring it from Mexico or Cuba," Elder said. It is the 4th most powerful Mexican drug cartel operating in the United States. Sure you did. Rodolfos Mexican Grill is in Cheyenne, Wyo., where the investigation began with a suspicious vehicle purchase. Seeing a growing market, Ted Daniels started the company and uses ex-military and law enforcement to provide security for the stores' money and supply shipments, and the growing operations. Rivera-Beltran said he had guns and "almonds," believed to be fentanyl pills, at the house. The Sinaloa Cartel, a Mexican drug gang with one of the largest U.S. footprints - including just about everything east of the Mississippi -- of all the cartels. Mexican Cartel Violence | Fox News A new DEA map shows where cartels have influence in the US. Cartel In June 1993, Guzman-Loera was arrested in Chiapas, Mexico and sentenced to a 20-year prison term. WE HAVE THE BEST OF THE BEST AND ITS SO AFFORDABLE NOW..25 FOR AN 1/8.COLORADO HAS THEIR SHIT TOGETHER AND HAS CHOSEN TO GO AFTER THE HARD DRUGS AND LET THE GOOD PEOPLE SMOKE THEIR WEED!!!! Jalisco New Generation. The Mexican Mafia (Spanish: Mafia Mexicana), also known as La eMe (Spanish for "the M"), is a Mexican American criminal organization in the United States. Surez was chased by two Army pickup trucks before he lost control of his own and crashed into parked vehicle. The car was stopped by state troopers. or redistributed. Biden administration sanctions what it says is a timeshare fraud The Vigilance Project - Mexican Cartels and Drug Trafficking Training Prez's brother, Alejandro Prez, was unharmed and told Univision that he saw the moment his sibling was shot at point-blank range. Flores was identified as Ortiz's girlfriend and told troopers she had driven from Phoenix to Denver to see her boyfriend. In addition, two related defendants were identified and arrested after the indictment, the district attorney's office said. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging 17 defendants for drug trafficking in direct connection with a Mexican drug cartel. After multiple messages were exchanged, the indictment says, surveillance captured them meeting at a gas station, hugging and Zytacua getting in and out of her car. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The Sinaloa Cartel's criminal activity in the Ciudad Juarez and El Paso area included the violence that occurred during the war between the Juarez Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, which led to the death of thousands of people in Ciudad Juarez and throughout the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Durango. Rivera-Beltran also said that he found customers in Arizona who were buying 5,000 to 7,000 fentanyl pills, according to the indictment. According to newspaper Tribuna San Luis, Municipal Police with the support of the Mexican Army (SEDENA) surrounded a building on Hidalgo Avenue and 20th Street where a vehicle matching this description had been spotted. 02-22-2022. Denver police are taking a wait-and-see posture as to what may emerge. He later bragged to movie star Sean Penn: I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anybody else in the world. Access all of our premium content, get unlimited digital access and more! I am a regular poster to bb and I live in Boulder, We have 50,000 college students and more hippies then woodstock, We have more medical marijuana dispensaries than starbucks and ALOT of people smoke weed in this city, If the cartels are here they stay hid really well, The police are so lax on tokers here you could blow smoke in their face and they would smile, From a business perspective I'm sure Boulder is a giant cash cow for them. Photos shared by Mata's friends on social media showed him holding a rifle and wearing a black vest with the Cartel del Noreste's (Northeast Cartel) initials, 'CDN,' across the chest and ammunition hanging from it. The indictment says six rectangular bricks with "CHANEL" stamped on them that tested positive for cocaine were found in the vehicle. The gangs appear to be targeting stores, vehicles and bystanders in response to disputes or attempts to capture gang members. Specifically, the indictment says Zytacua had calls with users about the cost of 30 milligram pills, which agents believed to be fake fentanyl pills masked as M30 oxycodone pills. San Diego's largest cash seizure ever may shed light on an overlooked aspect of the drug trade >>, In many instances, the Sinaloa cartel and other Mexican cartels partner with street gangs in the US particularly the MS-13 to sell the drugs to consumers. Victor Alvarez Farfan, a native of Michoacn, Mexico, headed the Portland drug ring blamed for bringing large amounts of meth, heroin and fentanyl across the border beginning in October 2017. However, no firearms were recovered from their pickup truck. Its only been a week, so we still have to sit back and see how this will play out, Denver Police spokesman Sonny Jackson told FoxNews.com. Mexico's Agriculture Ministry said U.S. health . Map shows drug smuggling routes into Texas used by cartels - mySA Fountain woman to get no jail time for sexually assaulting 13-year-old, mother unhappy with plea deal. "CJNG's rapid territorial expansion is characterized by the organization's willingness to engage in violent confrontations with Mexican Government security forces and rival cartels," as in a 2015 incident in which CJNG gunmen downed a Mexican military helicopter, as well as more recent cases of grisly displays left behind in Tijuana. Cartel boss Carlos Enrique Sanchez, 'El Cholo', appeared in a video shortly before found dead in a Mexico park. Most notably, the Juarez cartel has reportedly seen its dominance in most of New Mexico eroded by the Sinaloa cartel. Mexican drug cartels control vast swaths of the US drug market, but that influence remains heavily slanted in favor of the vaunted Sinaloa cartel. Peterson and a confidential informant said that cocaine was provided by Adrian Santana, and the indictment says Peterson showed text messages from Santana instructing him to pick up the drugs at 6600 Kearney Street. It's Denver and the suburbs, Greeley with all the cholos, Longmont and Colorado Springs then it makes it's way to College students thru networks. Defendants have denied involvement in the scheme. The WORST care homes in England: Interactive map reveals the lowest-rated 2,530 residences - so is An intelligence report obtained by TV Azteca indicated that Wilberto Mata, one of the five young men killed by soldier in the northern border city of Nuevo Laredo, was an alleged member of the Cartel del Noreste ( Northeast Cartel), Gustavo Surez, an American from San Antonio, Texas, was a purported member of the Northeast Cartel, according to a Mexican intelligence report.