What's wrong with a little spliff?
February 25, 2009
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/states/newsrel/2009/la022509.html
Hundreds of Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Members and Associates Arrested in Nationwide Takedown of Mexican Drug Traffickers
“Operation Xcellerator” Takes over 23 Tons of Narcotics off America’s Streets and Seizes More Than $59 Million in Drug Money
U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. looks on as DEA Acting Administrator Michele M. Leonhart announces the results of Operation Xcellerator.
FEB 25 — WASHINGTON – DEA Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart and Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. today announced the arrest of more than 750 individuals on narcotics-related charges and the seizure of more than 23 tons of narcotics as part of a 21-month multi-agency law enforcement investigation known as “Operation Xcellerator.”
Today, 52 individuals in California, Minnesota and Maryland were arrested as part of Operation Xcellerator, which targeted the Sinaloa Cartel, a major Mexican drug trafficking organization, through coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as cooperation with authorities in Mexico and Canada.
The Sinaloa Cartel is responsible for bringing multi-ton quantities of narcotics, including cocaine and marijuana, from Mexico into the United States through an enterprise of distribution cells in the United States and Canada. The Sinaloa Cartel is also believed to be responsible for laundering millions of dollars in criminal proceeds from illegal drug trafficking activities. Individuals indicted in the cases are charged with a variety of crimes, including: engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise by violating various felony provisions of the Controlled Substances Act; conspiracy to import controlled substances; money laundering; and possession of an unregistered firearm.
“We successfully concluded the largest and hardest hitting operation to ever target the very violent and dangerously powerful Sinaloa drug cartel,” said DEA Acting Administrator Michele M. Leonhart. “From Washington to Maine, we have disrupted this cartel’s domestic operations—arresting U.S. cell heads and stripping them of more than $59 million in cash—and seriously impacted their Canadian drug operations as well. DEA will continue to work with our domestic and international partners to shut down the operations of the Sinaloa cartel and stop the ruthless violence the traffickers inflict on innocent citizens in the U.S., Mexico and Canada.”
“International drug trafficking organizations pose a sustained, serious threat to the safety and security of our communities,” said Attorney General Holder. “As the world grows smaller and international criminals step up their efforts to operate inside our borders, the Department of Justice will confront them head on to keep our communities safe.”
To date, Operation Xcellerator has led to the arrest of 755 individuals and the seizure of approximately $59.1 million in U.S. currency, more than 12,000 kilograms of cocaine, more than 16,000 pounds of marijuana, more than 1,200 pounds of methamphetamine, more than 8 kilograms of heroin, approximately 1.3 million pills of Ecstasy, more than $6.5 million in other assets, 149 vehicles, 3 aircraft, 3 maritime vessels and 169 weapons.
The 21-month investigation began shortly after the culmination of Operation Imperial Emperor, an investigation which resulted in the indictment of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)-designated Consolidated Priority Organizational Target (CPOT) Victor Emilio Cazarez-Salazar, believed to be a command and control leader within the Sinaloa Cartel. CPOT Victor Cazarez-Salazar remains a fugitive.
As a result of today’s arrests, federal charges were unsealed against numerous individuals in California, Minnesota and Maryland. Cases resulting from Operation Xcellerator are being handled by prosecutors in 11 judicial districts, including the: Central District of California; Southern District of California, District of Minnesota; District of Maryland; Southern District of New York; District of Arizona; District of Massachusetts; Middle District of Pennsylvania; Northern District of Ohio; Western District of Texas; and Eastern District of California. Assistance for Operation Xcellerator was provided by the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Office of International Affairs. Additionally, local prosecutions will occur in Los Angeles, Orange County, Calif., and Riverside, Calif.
The investigative efforts in Operation Xcellerator were coordinated by the multi-agency Special Operations Division, comprised of agents and analysts from the DEA, FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as attorneys from the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section. More than 200 federal, state, local and foreign law enforcement agencies contributed investigative and prosecutorial resources to Operation Xcellerator through OCEDTF.
An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Bush’s Fault!
I wonder if they were also “racial cowards”, being from another country and all....
Thought this was about shoe polish smugglers for a second there.
What's wrong with a little spliff?
Holy smokes! Thats a lot of narcotics.
Feb 10, 2009
Kern County Deputies and Bakersfield Police Department Officers seized over 5.5 Kilos of suspected cocaine, 1.5 pounds of suspected crystal methamphetamine, 7.5 grams of suspected marijuana, and $82,890.00 in U.S. currency. Five vehicles were also seized.
Samuel Solomon age 21, of Sinaloa, Mexico; Renato Sanchez age 25, of Sinaloa, Mexico; Januario Sanchez age 35, of Sinaloa, Mexico; Carlos Castillo age 30, of Puerto Rico; and Imer Diaz age 31, of Ensenada, Mexico were arrested and booked into the Kern County Jail for conspiracy, possession of cocaine for the purpose of sale and possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of sale.
The suspected cocaine has a street value of $541,750 and the suspected methamphetamine has a street value of $65,050.
When will they be deported? That is the only important message. We do not need more of this type in our Prison OR Jail system.
I’m interested in hearing which cities the arrests were made.
This is really good news. They did good after two years of investigation.
Of course Obama will the use those reprisals as an excuse to grab *our* guns, even if the cartel uses bombs instead of guns.
-snip-
Operation Xcellerator has led to the arrest of 755 individuals and the seizure of approximately $59.1 million...
Didn't the cartels kill each other to the tune of about 5,000 in the past year? If thousands of gruesome deaths won't deter them, why would anyone think 755 arrests will make a dent in the trade?
Cisneros urges helping Latinos avoid foreclosure[La Raza]
San Antonio Express-News | 02/25/2009 | Gary Martin
Posted on 02/25/2009 9:14:44 AM PST by SwinneySwitch
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2193790/posts
US Interior secretary [Ken Salazar] scraps oil-shale leasing
Myrtle Beach Sun News | Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009 | PAUL FOY - AP
Posted on 02/25/2009 4:25:29 PM PST by PilotDave
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2194116/posts