The military veteran served in Operation Desert Shield in 1990 and didn't have a criminal history, but he and his wife suffered from addiction. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) is Mexico's most violent crime gang. She got her older sister, a struggling single mom, involved to make quick money. More:This small-town Oregon bricklayer had a side hustle: Gun supplier for Mexican drug cartel. CJNG is "among us. During a brief telephonecallfrom prison in August 2019,Palomerasaid heis a family manwhonever harmed anyone. "And that his uncle had manipulated him and used him and his cousin. Legal Statement. "I promise, you will hear more about El Mencho.". He got his first glimpse of CJNGs success when he was overseeing drug cases in Los Angeles, a key cartel hub. GRAPHIC VIDEO: CJNG cartel members behead two men from rival cartel July 12, 2022 UNCENSORED VIDEO BELOW / New horrifying video shows three CJNG cartel members beheading two men from a rival cartel in Mexico. It has drug cells all across the U.S., even in tiny towns. Members of a cartel cell inKansasCity, withdrug houses in both Kansas and Missouri between 2013 and 2016,splurged on $10,000ticketsto rapper Pitbulls concertand a Louis Vuittonpurse. Reply Delete He co-founded Breitbart Texas Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darbyand senior Breitbart management. Both serve as popular entry ports for the precursor chemicals in synthetic drugs, mostly brought in fromChina. Armas and his wife, known as "Coco," used a handful of drug associates to store and repackage the drugs and drive them to Seaside and surrounding areas. Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. In America,ElMenchoexpectscartel members and associates to avoid violence, hidewealth anddisguise their CJNG affiliations, agents say. But they didn't know about dogged sheriff's detective John Walker, who developed informants and bought drugs while undercover. After his escape, the U.S. took its manhunt public. 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. His boss, Eddie Kane, Calumet's general manager, declined repeated requests for comment. 7. DEA agents take a suspect into custody during an arrest of a suspected drug trafficker on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 in Diamond Bar, Calif. Victor Alvarez Farfan began sneaking into the U.S. and targeting the Portland area more than two decades ago when he was in his early 20s. He can be contacted [email protected]. At least three people including a pregnant woman in her early 20s languish in critical condition in Guanajuato,Mexico, after their hands were chopped off and their bleeding bodies were thrown from the back of a truck last week. The Courier Journal could not say with certainty who supplied the drugs that killed Adam Cooley. After agents toppled the Oregon drug network in 2018 and arrested 23 suspects, there were murders in Mexico that U.S. investigators suspect were meant to scare and silence potential witnesses in the Portland case. "Different groups are active in virtually all Mexican territory, with the Sinaloa federation being concentrated in the north/west portion of the country, and CJNG being concentrated in the south/central but extending across Mexico to Veracruz.". Cartels target tourist destinations along Oregon coast for illegal drug distribution. Drug dealers may not have worried about being caught here, in Clatsop County, a 90-minute drive northwest from the bustling city of Portland. Many are committed by cartels. He was thought to be one of the leaders of Carteles Unidos. Alleged members of the Sinaloa Cartel arrested on smuggling charges in 2010 Credit: . 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. The unending stream of narcotics has contributed to this countrys unprecedented addiction crisis, devastating families and killing more than 300,000 people since 2013. Sam Upshaw Jr., Louisville Courier Journal. WARNING: THE VIDEO IS EXTREMELY DISTURBING AND GRAPHIC AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE TO ALL AUDIENCES. Yet, no sooner had authorities busted Kentucky's CJNG ringthan the cartel replaced Macias, sending in another team. To use social login you have to agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. The incident is only one of many deeds of bloodshed to have been carried out by the CJNG, whose barbarity is said to be on ascendance in recent weeks and months spilling on to U.S. soil and livelihoods. But when the days chores were done, Maciasdidn'tsocializewith others over drinks or dinner. In Illinois,the cartel teamed with Vice Lordsgang members to grow a drug network that stretched from Southern California through the Midwest and into Nashville and Paducah, Kentuckyknown for its riverwalk murals and the National QuiltMuseum. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel). killing on turf wars between the Jalisco cartel and its rivals as it expands into new territory. As a young adult, he and his older brother, Abraham Oseguera Cervantes,sold heroin to two undercover police officers at a San Francisco bar in 1992 and were sent to federal prison on drug trafficking charges. MEMBERS ONLY. It also identified at least two dozen "cells," which the DEA defines as places where cartel members set up shop to do business and live in the communities. But in America, few know who he is or why his rise to power matters. 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. 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. In June, operatives attempted to assassinate Mexico City's police chief, Omar Garcia Harfuch hammering his body with at least three bullets and slaying two of his bodyguards. In mid-October, 13 Mexican police officers were killed in an ambush in El Mencho's home state of Michoacn in western Mexico. He doesn't make wild errors; he doesn't hesitate; one word for el Mecho is 'calculated,'" Wesley said. You can follow him onTwitterand onFacebook. To an extent, it worked, illustrating how cartels manipulate on both sides of the border through threats and violence. 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. Farfan agreed to forfeit $100,000, and the judge ordered him to remain on supervised release for five years after he serves his time in prison. June 15, 2021 4:10 PM PT. Macias found success following the cartel's three-pronged business model: Macias recruited Brizeida Janett Sosa, the mother of his youngest child, to help organize themoney laundering scheme, court records would later show. Despite the capture of certain top leaders, it is now Mexico's foremost criminal threat . "He was terrified to talk about this," his attorney told The Courier Journal. FBI agents led a raid at the couple's home on Oct. 24, 2018, arresting the 51-year-old military veteran and his 53-year-old wife. %privacy_policy%. Its extreme savagery in Mexico includes beheadings, public hangings, acid baths, even cannibalism. "When you hear about the drug cartels and the amounts of drugs coming across the border, you start thinking those are big city problems," said Clatsop County Sheriff's Sgt. The cartel has run brothels in Mexico, often using teens and women forced into CJNG's web. In the recordings, it can be seen how little by little assassins from the Sinaloa Cartel are killing the woman's life and dismembering her, first it is observed how they remove her arms, later they cut her neck and thus continue with the other extremities. Irma Isaisa Jasmine Arroyo, 10, whose body was found maimed and semi incinerated on 28 January in the city of Tecoman. "If one wants to gain power, control and territory, it's a must that they conquer non-alliance cartels and gain the assistance of police and government entities to assist them in their global success.". Eduardo mulled over his future. He knew that cartels have connections inside U.S. prisons. When he gets out, he again faces deportation. Alderete also is accused of asking a criminal informant in Paducahfor assault rifles andagrenade launcherto supplya cartel "war" in Mexico,saidJesseRiddle, the Narcotics Unit captain with the McCracken County Sheriffs Office in Paducah. Signed Elite Group.". Hearing more details, the investigator, who asked not to be identified to protect his work, acknowledged to The Courier Journal: "Its a great strategy.". 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 . That designation allowed the department to levy sanctions against Mexican businesses linked to the cartels, includinga sushi restaurant, a tequila business, shopping centers, a medical clinic, two newspapers and famed Hotelito Desconocido, visited by Hollywood stars. But someCJNGbossesdidnt follow those rules. There's a reason why gente de Sinaloa stay in business while everyone else eats shit and goes away. 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. The teenager sneaked into the U.S. and triedto build a customer base as a street-level dealer. "Our community is paying a steep price," said Carlos Guevara, a senior policy adviser for UnidosUS, Americas largest Latino civil rights organization. El Menchos drug empire "is putting poison on the streets of the U.S.," said Chris Evans, who runs the DEAs day-to-day global operations. "It's important for all Americans to understand the threat to their community and what might impact their everyday lives," Evans said. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. But two years later, agents discovered he had slipped back into the U.S., returned to Portland and resumed trafficking cocaine and meth and had added heroin to his offerings. If you have drugs in your community, and I don't think there is any community that can say they don't have any, it is coming from the drug cartels. "All intelligence indicates hes still there, moving regularly," said Craine, the retired DEA supervisor who led the successful hunt for El Chapo. To help Maciassmuggle drugs into the U.S., cartel leaders used a Toyota Camry with a secret compartment on the armrest that opened through a sequence of steps: Turnon the heater. Adam died midsentence while writing a thank-you note to a friend on the eve of entering a rehab facility. For an overview of the Pjaros Sierra versus Crtel Jalisco Nueva Generacin (CJNG) conflict, please see this previous Borderland Beat story. CJNGs increased distribution of fentanyl across the country has helped the synthetic opioid unseat heroin as the nations No. It's a very demoralizing experience for the male who was not only failed by the cartel. Americans who may not know of CJNG today should take note, Dodds said. They stormed a hideout west of Guadalajara, but the cartel leader climbed into a vehicle and was rushed to safety. 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. Guanajuato. Still, The Courier Journal traveled to Portland, its suburbs, the Oregon coast and Seattle to review court records and interview federal agents, defense attorneys and prosecutors to learn about the Farfan drug ring, its cartel ties and how it finally imploded. American authorities are still seeking his extradition to the U.S. to face drug charges. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"AT9cPsLXmTcu5DvoOKyYtBnoaFpnyDzcOkF8t9PIjh4-1800-0"}; ", 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. Farfan wasn't as lucky. "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.". The young man, an opponent from a rival cartel, finds himself in the clutches of the Cartel de Sinaloa. A pool of blood forms on the floor. He initially came to the U.S. to earn money as a mechanic for another relative. The gruesome crimes took place in Mexico's state of Colima. Months later, the veteran texted his adult son about his gratitude that agents arrested him, saving his life. 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. Many were scared silent and to this day no Mexican suppliers have faced justice for these crimes. The CJNG cartel and its backroads drug pipeline had caught the attention of federal authorities, who . Cartel members issued a stark warning in Mexico that reverberated through the drug network in Oregon. Known as CJNG, the cartel is a global powerhouse, detected on every continent except Antarctica. He had a 1999 aggravated felony drug conviction in Multnomah County and was deported in 2001. Police arrested Farfan in October 2018 as he and Montes drove toward California on Highway 99 near Roseburg, nearly three hours south of Portland, while towing a car. Twomasterminds now in prisonorchestrated the scheme from Guadalajara:Carlos Parra Pedroza,aliasWalt Disney, who owned a jewelry store; and Diego Pineda Sanchez, an accountant. It has an army of 5,000 members . Police had long known John Armas was a major meth trafficker, but he was careful. Think of this violence extending into every facet of their global operations. he asked his team. Uncensored versions of the videos can be seen below. 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. Tipped off that a police caravan was on its way to grab El Mencho, CJNGhitmen hidalong the route in April 2015 and ambushed fourpolice vehicles. Treasury Department officials stood with Sessions and announced more sanctions on businesses linked to CJNG and its affiliate, Los Cuinis. In a desperate bid to cling to its remaining territory, the group has joined forces with a former rival: a fast-growing cartel called the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). Evan Ellis, a research professor of Latin American studies at the U.S. Army War College Strategic Studies Institute, underscored that as the criminal environment has become more fragmented with many groups and affiliated gangs, the amount of killing and its unpredictability has become more generalized. In July, Coco was sentenced to time served and released. They also contacted more than two dozen accused cartel members or CJNG associates in prison and traveled to Mexico City, Guadalajara and 15 U.S. cities to see firsthand the far-reaching repercussions of El Menchos cartel. Even after El Mencho's girlfriend went to prison, the cartel quickly returned to the Gulf Coast with more loads of drugs. In Hillsboro, a suburb 30 minutes west of Portland, a savvy drug cell leader supplied by Victor Farfan seemed untouchable. As Farfan's day of reckoning neared, he and his family pleaded for leniency. Pullup the seat. His followers have spread tonearly all of Mexico's 32 states, including the cities ofGuadalajara and Tijuana, both crucial to moving drugs into the U.S. From there, ElMencho's empire went global, withasteady and growing customerbasein the U.S., as well as in Australia, Europe andJapan. Flames leftMoralesdisabled and disfigured. This short film details The Courier Journal's investigation into CJNG and its leader, El Mencho, began in early 2019 and what was uncovered. CJNG, which routinely faces off with its No. . Cannibalism in Mexico! More unchecked opportunities. ", Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. "He was very minutely involved. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Pictures taken of the victims show them blindfolded, with their arms and legs bound. Dozens of couriers throughout the U.S. would then collect the drug profits and use the dirty moneyto buy scrap and fine gold. 12:52 you're really coward and pathetic what about cjng all the killings from . The Jalisco Cartel New Generation (Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacin - CJNG) is a criminal group that has evolved as a result of killings, captures and rifts in older cartels. From the shadows, he continues to lead CJNG with ruthless authority. We have all had a drug consumption problem," said the official, who asked not to be identified for his protection. "One of the techniques cartels use here in the United States is to take young people and make them responsible for significant amounts of drugs in order to shield themselves," Schindler said. ", "He said: 'I'll do the time. As well as its feud with El Menchos CJNG, El Marros group has made threats against new Mexican President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador, intelligence website InSight Crime reports. The cartel has its hands in trafficking multiple deadly substances. A month later, Mexican authorities learned of ElMenchos new hiding spot andorganizeda secret mission to capture him. "I had a prosecutor who was sympathetic that this guy was just a bond-hit, video-game type of kid," Schindler said. Last year, a judge sentenced Eduardo to 30 months behind bars, followed by five years supervised release. Sheriff's investigators say a Paducah, Kentucky, business owner who fell behind on a drug debt was warned last year by the cartel: "If we dont get our money, were gonna kill you and your family.. Este es el #Mxico de @lopezobrador_ @BreitbartNews @elpais_america pic.twitter.com/E7kek1yNK4, Mxico Cdigo Rojo (@MexicoRojo1) February 28, 2022. "We consider this cartel to be one of the five most dangerous transnational criminal organizations on the face of the Earth, and it is doing unimaginable damage to the people of this nation," Sessions said. on January 26, 2022. "As well as the violence and corruption that puts at risk the neighbor with which the United States shares an enormous land border, and in which thousands of U.S. companies operate, and U.S. citizens live.". They are surrounded by 13 masked men, apparently Los Zetas hitmen, who point their rifles at them. ", "The cartels have become so large and powerful that you sometimes need an army to defeat an army!". "A very big, increasing problem. He shares intel with the DEA,but not his own people. Experience for the precursor chemicals in synthetic drugs, mostly brought in fromChina harmed anyone leaders of Carteles Unidos need-to-know. Take note, Dodds said 'll do the time throughout the U.S. and triedto build a customer as. 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