Despite the capture of certain top leaders, it is now Mexico's foremost criminal threat . Market data provided by Factset. Why is The Courier Journal reporting on a deadly Mexican drug cartel? The unending stream of narcotics has contributed to this countrys unprecedented addiction crisis, devastating families and killing more than 300,000 people since 2013. CJNG also has enlisted white-collar expertise. Armas also asked them to repackage large amounts of drugs and sell out of their home to users as well as mid-level dealers. For 53-year-old El Mencho, success did not come early. El Menchos powerful international syndicate is flooding the U.S. with thousands of kilos of methamphetamines, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl every year despite being targeted repeatedly by undercover stings, busts and lengthy investigations. CJNG took credit on social media for the massacre. A month later, Mexican authorities learned of ElMenchos new hiding spot andorganizeda secret mission to capture him. Enemies: CJNG, Juarez Cartel, Los Zetas. Legal Statement. Soldiers seized a couple of modified and armored trucks at a warehouse in the municipality of Camargo during a patrol on Saturday, local media reported. Jalisco New Generation, often referred to as CJNG, is another Mexican cartel that emerged in 2010. All rights reserved. "My family knows Im not that person. "He was terrified to talk about this," his attorney told The Courier Journal. //]]>. Make no mistake, Taylor said. Los Cabos allegedly engaged in this violence in support of CJNG, one of the most dangerous transnational criminal organizations in the world. They control witnesses in the U.S. by threatening to kidnap, torture and kill loved ones within their reach in Mexico, hamstringing agents trying to target drug kingpins and their powerful inner circle. Colima: Four members of the CJNG cartel mistakenly identified a ten year old girl as the daughter of a rival involved in a conflict over drug market territory. Zetas behead and dismember four women from the Gulf Cartel The video shows four women on their knees in a field, their hands tied behind their backs. Since the arrest and extradition to the U.S. of Sinaloa frontman Joaqun "El Chapo" Guzmn in 2016, analysts say that the CJNG has steadily encroached on new terrain including Tijuana bringing with it a recipe for bloodletting and groups waginga war of dominance. Selling drugs in bulk to local traffickers, who then sold to area dealers. Based on the average street value, its trade could net upwards of $8.1 billion for cocaine and $4.6 billion for crystal meth each year. "I had a prosecutor who was sympathetic that this guy was just a bond-hit, video-game type of kid," Schindler said. CJNG burns rivals face alive as a way of mocking his nickname Ghost Rider. on January 26, 2022. Headless bodies were dumped at the doorstep of a business associated with the Farfan family in their home state of Michoacn. Dozens of couriers throughout the U.S. would then collect the drug profits and use the dirty moneyto buy scrap and fine gold. Think of this violence extending into every facet of their global operations. 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 cartel strategy to establish drug pipelines far beyond the border and into small, unsuspecting towns. For example, a Lexington waitress seekingcash to pay fordental assistant courses ended up making bank deposits that she didnt know were for CJNG, according to court transcripts. Next steps crucial, experts say, US drug czar wants India to stem flow of chemicals used by Mexican cartels for fentanyl, Ignoring cartel danger, Mexican families scour wilderness for missing loved ones' remains, This small-town Oregon bricklayer had a side hustle: Gun supplier for Mexican drug cartel, Mexico-US investigation links cartel downing of military helicopter to Oregon gun supplier, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Critics say the Mexican president, known as AMLO, seems more concerned about using federal troops to keep South Americanimmigrants out of his country than challenging the cartels. A federal grand jury had indicted him and more than 20 others on money laundering and drug trafficking charges. Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is Mexico's most violent crime gang. For two years, Farfan's nephew, Eduardo Alvarez Farfan, was scared silent. Police grabbed him, finding two kilos of fentanyl stuffed in a backpack. 12:52 you're really coward and pathetic what about cjng all the killings from . His cousin, Roberto Carlos Farfan Alvarez, known as "Raton" or "Mouse," pleaded guilty but never talked to police. Last year, there were 2,513 killings in tourist hotspot Tijuana . Legal Statement. FBI agents lauded Walker's work, which helped the Bureau and Homeland Security Investigations expose an extensive drug distribution cell that targeted the Pacific Northwest. She recruited helpers, too, and they frequently made deposits of less than $10,000 amounts small enough to dodge federal reporting requirements at bank branches in Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee,as well asGreensboro and Winston-Salem,North Carolina. The 56-year-old rose from the humble roots of an avocado growing family, dropped out of primary school to work in the fields, to become one of the most potent drug lords on the planet. The strategy: Make it illegal for any U.S. citizen or company to spend money at a cartel-affiliated business. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. He is loving, respectful and a very caring human being.". Who is La Vaca? "The CJNG is one of the most powerful (cartels) and in a short time may become the dominating force in Mexico if not restrained. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 1nemesis, the Sinaloa Cartel, dominates the majority supply of everything from methamphetamine and heroin to the devastating synthetic opioid fentanyl into its northern border and beyond. "If its coming from a cartel, they could have sold a pound to Asians, black guys, outlaw motorcycle gangs, white trash," said Lt. Jeremy Williams, of the Ashe County Sheriff's Office inNorth Carolina. He knew he faced deportation back within reach of the cartels. Hisoffice has prosecuted Sinaloa and CJNG members. Maciasand Sosa were convicted of meth trafficking and money laundering and are serving 31 and 15 years, respectively, in federal prison. Betrayal led to the drug ring'scollapse. Just hours after the crash, the cartel carried out coordinated attacks in 39 cities, blowingup banks, gas stations and setting cars and semis on fire on major highways to slow down police reinforcements. Agents say he typically travels in a convoy, surrounding himself withdozens of well-trained mercenaries armed with military-grade weapons that can tear through tanks, even aircraft. Known as "El Mencho," he's remained in hiding for years and is on the DEA's Most Wanted list. Rubn "Nemesio" Oseguera Cervantes is the leader of Crtel Jalisco Nueva Generacin, better known as CJNG. ", "He said: 'I'll do the time. "It was almost unbelievable, the things we were hearing, theamountof drugs," said Benjamin Taylor, who oversees investigations for Homeland Security in Gulfport, Mississippi. It could hide 9 kilos of drugs and a pile of cash. First, Mexican cartel suppliers established a pipeline to the Portland area. He knew that cartels have connections inside U.S. prisons. Narcocorrido band Grupo Arriesgado forced out of Tijuana for singing about CJNG. Guanajuato. Mexico's CJNG is currently making a series of territorial incursions around the country to take control of key fuel theft, drug trafficking, and human smuggling regions. He previously was convicted on federal drug charges in the U.S. and was deported at least twice. Reporter Beth Warren: bwarren@courier-journal.com; 502-582-7164; Twitter @BethWarrenCJ. To an extent, it worked, illustrating how cartels manipulate on both sides of the border through threats and violence. Twomasterminds now in prisonorchestrated the scheme from Guadalajara:Carlos Parra Pedroza,aliasWalt Disney, who owned a jewelry store; and Diego Pineda Sanchez, an accountant. Next steps crucial, experts say. CJNG's plan tomove intosmall-town America and cashin on the country's addiction crisis played out in Lexington, Kentucky. To build their lucrativedrug networks in the U.S., CJNG bosses mandated discretion to dodge police attention. Even if U.S. and Mexican investigators can track El Mencho's location, capturing him won't be easy. Investigators listened in on several calls between Armas and his neighbors using code to coordinate drug deals. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is targeting and killing police officers at their homes in Guanajuato, Mexico's most violent state and the most dangerous for police. A young woman en route to selling street food was also fatally struck by a stray bullet through a car window. Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) gunmen lined up at least 17 victims and shot them during a funeral in western Mexico Sunday. It's still a little shocking when you can tie it together and say for certain that's where it came from.". It also operated a tequila label,casinos,two shopping centers,a medical clinic,real estate companies and a Pacific Ocean resort frequented by Americans, according to U.S. Treasury Department records. Regardless, prosecutors had strong evidence including transcripts from six months of wire taps in 2018 as Farfan chatted about drug shipments. Moreover, the U.S. lacks the authority to make arrests in foreign countries, said Evans, a senior DEA official. CJNG even established a cell in south-central Virginia, buying or renting a cluster of modest homes in Axton an unincorporated community of roughly 6,500. Mexican cartel murders bride at altar during her own wedding, kidnaps groom, Canada's defence minister pledges 200 armoured personnel carriers for Ukraine during . Eduardo, known as "Pollo" or "Chicken," began running errands, or drug runs, for his uncle when he was 20 or 21 and claims he had no understanding of the scope of the drug ring or the risks he was taking. "It's important for all Americans to understand the threat to their community and what might impact their everyday lives," Evans said. 1 / 6. more proof that CJNG ain't shit but zetas 2.0 gente de Sinaloa no trabaja asi como vale vergas. Known as CJNG, the cartel is a global powerhouse, detected on every continent except Antarctica. U.S. officials have . John Walker in uniform (left), and Walker in his undercover look (right). He initially came to the U.S. to earn money as a mechanic for another relative. But wrestling for land jurisdiction is only a piece of the CJNG puzzle. I am a family man. hammering his body with at least three bullets, stolen cars converted into armored vehicles to drones and high-powered machine guns. "Police and civilians are dying, and the CJNG and continues unfettered, flooding the U.S. with methamphetamine and other drugs," Tabor added. Using others to deposit drug profitsin cartel-controlled bankaccounts. There's a reason why gente de Sinaloa stay in business while everyone else eats shit and goes away. It has an army of 5,000 members . including the drug-related killings of two Mexican brothers in 2014, one of whom was found . killing on turf wars between the Jalisco cartel and its rivals as it expands into new territory. ", Soldiers stand guard in front of a modified and armored truck as it is displayed to the media at a military base in Reynosa, in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas June 5, 2011. One of them interrogates the semi-nude Mendoza, who admits he sold drugs in Valle de Santiago, where gunmen assaulted a police station on Friday, killing five prisoners and freeing another. Rapid gunfire could be heard in videos that appeared to have been recorded at the scene of the mass murder. His attorney lobbied for 13 years, claiming his client likely couldn't survive a longer prison stint. It has an army of 5,000 members . And for those who make the gut-wrenching decision to stay, life has been reduced to the desperate, defensive gambit ofdigging trenchesacross highways in western Michoacn. Last year, a judge sentenced Eduardo to 30 months behind bars, followed by five years supervised release. On 2/10 Narcocorrido band Grupo Arriesgado was forced to cancel a concert in Tijuana after a report of shots were fired during an event vice.com. MEMBERS ONLY. Immigrants, some fleeing criminal violence themselves, can be victimized by cartels on both sides of the border and unfairly targeted by U.S. political rhetoric or perceptions stoked by cartel crime. During that time,overdoses sent more victims to Kentucky's morgues than bullets and car crashes combined withthe commonwealth sufferingthe fifth-highest overdose death rate in the nation. CJNG has skirted Mexican and U.S. inspections at legal border crossings by hiding drugs in semitrailers hauling tomatoes, avocados and other produce, dumping at least 5 tons of cocaine and 5 tons of meth into this country every month, according to DEA estimates. Farfan also had to hand over $100,000. Yet, no sooner had authorities busted Kentucky's CJNG ringthan the cartel replaced Macias, sending in another team. CJNG, which routinely faces off with its No. A pool of blood forms on the floor. While officials can't say how much of the U.S. drug trade comes from CJNG, they predict the powerful organization is poised to supplant the more well-known and established Sinaloa Cartel as the world's most powerful drug trafficking organization. "If that takes them killing other cartels or killing innocent people, they will do it.". 2020 has been an especially savage year in the border city of Tijuana,racking upalmost 2,000 murders almost on par with 2019 and once again earning the label of having the highest murder rate per capita of any city in Mexico. I don't really care what the prosecutor says.. Four men alleged to be leaders in a Mexican cartel enforcement cell have been indicted in San Diego on drug-trafficking charges and are accused of orchestrating a wave of . The DEA's Donahue said many were taken toremote paramilitary camps where they were trained asassassins. There, amid the lush pastures and white rail fences, a Mexican immigrant with asinister secret quietly groomed prized thoroughbreds at historic Calumet Farm, according to court records. Armas used the couple's home as a drug stash house, paying them with enough meth for their daily fix. March 30, 2022 MEXICO Grisly videos have emerged showing CJNG cartel members beheading rival narcos working under commands from La Vaca. In June 2015, the Mexican military arrested El Menchos son and second-in-command, Rubn Oseguera Gonzles. So instead of blaming, we should look for solutions.. For an overview of the Pjaros Sierra versus Crtel Jalisco Nueva Generacin (CJNG) conflict, please see this previous Borderland Beat story. Mexican marines almost captured El Mencho in October 2018. Cartel members fired hundreds of rounds and hurled grenades and jugs of gasoline. He had to pay $50,000. As Farfan's day of reckoning neared, he and his family pleaded for leniency. "As well as those who suffer from a lack of economic opportunity because businesses cannot thrive, and a lack of quality of life because public services, in some ways, do not function well.". Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. You can follow him onTwitterand onFacebook. MEXICO PASSES BILL THAT COULD SET BACK US PARTNERSHIP IN DRUG WAR BY DECADES. She must report to a federal probation officer for five years. Ransom-seekers and other cartelsare responsible for many of those disappearances,with CJNG to blame for thousands,DEA agentssay. Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password. "And that his uncle had manipulated him and used him and his cousin. Reporters Jonathan Bullington, Kala Kachmar, Chris Kenning andKarol Suarez contributed to this story. He was thought to be one of the leaders of Carteles Unidos. This time, as Farfan oversaw his drug business, FBI agents mounted an investigation against him. On April 6, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced sanctions against Carlos . They are surrounded by 13 masked men, apparently Los Zetas hitmen, who point their rifles at them. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is targeting and killing police officers at their homes in Guanajuato, Mexico's most violent state and the most dangerous for police. Because it's here, A short film: What Courier Journal uncovered about Jalisco New Generation Cartel's El Mencho. According to U.S. officials, the CJNG is now the primary drug trafficking outfit in 24 of Mexico's 32 states. He got his first glimpse of CJNGs success when he was overseeing drug cases in Los Angeles, a key cartel hub. In early-morning raids Wednesday, federal agents fanned out across the U.S., culminating a six-month investigation with the primary goal of dismantling the upper echelon of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known as CJNG. Even after El Mencho's girlfriend went to prison, the cartel quickly returned to the Gulf Coast with more loads of drugs. There's a lot of family back in Michoacn.". Prosecutors successfully pushed for 15 years in their sentencing memo, pointing to Farfan's "unwillingness to stop drug trafficking and his unwillingness to remain outside of the United States." They found drugs and drug couriers, including a former nurse, linked back to Hillsboro in neighboring Washington County. He briefly worked as a police officer in Tomatln, a small town in Jalisco, learningthe inner workings of law enforcement,said DEA Special Agent Kyle Mori, who is heading the U.S. criminal investigationagainstEl Mencho fromLos Angeles. Their current. Three of them are bare-chested. Farfan pleaded guilty in November 2021 to trafficking drugs and illegally reentering the U.S. and was the last of 23 defendants in the case to admit guilt. Passed over for promotion, ElMenchoteamed withhis in-laws who ran an affiliatedcartel and forged his own criminal organizationin early 2011 CJNG. In a Nov. 5 tweet, after nine people including six children with dual U.S.-Mexican citizenship were killed by cartels(though different ones than CJNG), President Donald Trump vowed to assist Mexican officials "in cleaning out these monsters. It also forbids any U.S. bank to approve loans or credit card transactions for those CJNG-backed enterprises. "When Eduardo got involved in this he was a very young man, and it was because of a family connection an uncle who had been involved in Mexico organized crime for decades," his attorney, Matthew A. Schindler, told The Courier Journal, referring to Victor Farfan. Signs have also pointed to CJNG widening its footprint in the capital, Mexico City, aligning itself with the Fuerza Anti-Union gang to tackle the city's most extensive criminal enterprise, La Unin Tepito. 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