The Familia Michocana
Posted on 04/20/2009 10:41:32 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
At most baptisms only close relatives and friends are in attendance but this is not exactly a normal 'family'.
Cited by the US as major players in the international drugs trade the 'Familia Michoacana' had its christening gate-crashed by 400 police officers and two Blackhawk helicopters.
Mexican federal police arrested 44 alleged members of the drugs cartel at a family baptism in Morelia, capital of the western state of Michoacan.
Among those detained was Rafael Cedeño Hernández, the gang’s second in command, who is said to be responsible for the shipment of drugs from Central America and expanding its empire in the state of Guerrero.
Mr Cedeño is said to have taken over from Alberto Espinoza Barrón, known as The Strawberry, who was arrested in December.
The Familia is involved in a bloody turf war with the Zetas, who are enforcers for another major drugs gang. The Zetas are behind a series of decapitations of their paymasters’ enemies.
Other important figures from the Familia arrested in the baptism raid included Francisco Javier Torres Mora, Jose Cleofas Miramontes, alias The Joker, Francisco Hernandez Hernandez and Fred Pardo Menera.
Rodrigo Esparza, Public Safety Secretariat Special Forces commander, said the gang controls the movement of cocaine from Central America and shipments of ephedrine and pseudoephidrine which arrive in Mexico from Asia and Europe.
Mr Esparza said police seized three R-15 rifles, an AK-47, five grenades, 37 ammunition clips, six pistols and four plastic bags containing marijuana and crack cocaine.
The Familia Michocana is one of three Mexican organisations which the US included on April 15 on a list of suspected international drug trafficking cartels.
The gang operates as a paramilitary organisation. Its leaders claim to fight against violence and to protect civilians when the authorities are unable to contain the rising death toll...
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
That’s how a crime family dresses for a Baptism?!
Well, of course. It gets rather dull just dropping in the occassional 20 in the collection basket, so I like to spice things up once in awhile.
And though I know the child is innocent I would like to think the priest realized that the admonishment to “bring the child up in the Catholic faith” pretty much is not going to happen here. And I think in this instance the cause is grave enough to decline to baptize the child. Since it is obviously a matter of cultural ceremony only and not of faith.
Ping!
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