Mexican Drug Trafficker Says He Worked With Feds

thenewamerican.com ^ | 29 April, 2011 | Alex Newman

[marktwain]

A high-ranking Mexican drug-cartel operative extradited to the United States claimed in a recent court filing that he was actually trafficking tons of cocaine on behalf of the American federal government, prompting a media frenzy in Latin America but almost no coverage in the U.S. press. A federal indictment filed earlier this month alleges that Jesus Vicente Zambada-Niebla, also known as “El Vicentillo,” served as a “logistical coordinator” for the notorious Sinaloa drug-trafficking cartel. Zambada is accused of allegedly participating in the importation into the United States of multiple tons of cocaine, as well as other related crimes.

But in a two-page filing with the federal court in Chicago, Zambada’s lawyers made a startling assertion that could have broad repercussions for the prosecution. According to the document, Zambada was actually operating under government authority on behalf of multiple U.S. law enforcement agencies including the FBI, DEA, ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and even the U.S. Department of Justice. Some of the agents allegedly involved were even mentioned in the document.

“Public authority for the defendant’s acts began from at least on or about January 1, 2004 and continued to and included on or about March 19, 2009,” the court filing states. Zambada’s lawyers also noted that he may invoke “entrapment by estoppel” in his defense as well — essentially arguing that, at the very least, the feds actively led Zambada to believe that he was acting “pursuant to official authorization.”

After being arrested by the Mexican military in 2009, Zambada was transferred to the U.S. early last year to stand trial. He pled not guilty to conspiracy charges related to the importation and distribution of cocaine and heroin. But if convicted, Zambada could face life in prison.

A few American reporters, including Bill Conroy of NarcoNews, Fronteras Project’s Michel Marizco, and Paul Joseph Watson of InfoWars, have covered the new allegations of government involvement. But while most U.S. media outlets failed to report the news, the court filing is making headlines all across Latin America.

“U.S. Agents Helped Drug Trafficking,” reads a headline about the case in a Mexican newspaper — one of many. “The United States Sponsors Drug Traffickers,” declares another, noting in the opening paragraph that the ATF was recently caught supplying weaponry to the cartels in Operation Fast and Furious. “DEA and FBI allowed ‘El Vicentillo’ to traffic drugs to the U.S.,” states a third. The outrage is intense.

Reporters also pointed out that Zambada was connected to an airplane that crashed in 2007 carrying four tons of cocaine. European investigators linked that plane — tail number N987SA — to CIA torture operations in Europe. It was purchased using Sinaloa drug money just weeks before it crashed. The buyer, a man named Greg Smith, is known to have worked for the numerous U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

There are several theories floating around about what might be going on. “[Zambada’s] claim, if true, adds credence to theories long in play that the Mexican and U.S. governments are essentially showing favor toward the Sinaloa drug organization and its leadership … as part of a broader strategy to weaken and ultimately eliminate rival narco organizations,” wrote Bill Conroy in a detailed piece for NarcoNews.

The Austin, Texas-based global intelligence firm Stratfor confirmed in a recent report that most of the Mexican cartels were suffering major setbacks — except the Sinaloa Federation. “In order to reduce the violence, compromise with the lead cartel — once unspeakable — now looks like a real option for the Mexican government, which is incapable of eliminating cartels completely,” a summary of the report explained, noting that Sinaloa would likely dominate Mexican drug trafficking soon.

In response to questions from The New American, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Chicago declined the opportunity to comment, saying, “as a matter of policy, we do not comment outside of the public court record on pending cases.” Prosecutors have not yet filed a response to Zambada’s allegations.

Three of Zambada’s attorneys could not be reached for comment by press time. One of the lawyers representing him said he was not authorized to speak about the case beyond what was already noted in the filing.

But a law professor highlighted the seriousness of the allegations in an interview with Fronteras Project reporter Michel Marizco. “Essentially, this is the type of claim by a defendant that puts the government on trial; saying that the government sponsored illegal activity,” asserted Wayne State University Law School professor Peter Henning, pointing out that a “public authority” defense is almost unheard of in organized crime cases.

“Given what’s going on with the Mexican drug cartels, the last thing the United States can handle is any kind of finding that it in fact sponsored one of the drug cartels,” he added.

Of course, this would not be the first time the federal government’s involvement in drug trafficking has been exposed. Former DEA boss Robert Bonner actually went on CBS and accused the CIA of importing cocaine. The New York Times covered part of the story, too, in a piece entitled "Anti-Drug Unit of C.I.A. Sent Ton of Cocaine to U.S. in 1990."

Investigative journalist Gary Webb exposed a drug-trafficking network reaching into the highest levels of the U.S. government. The cocaine profits were being used to finance various clandestine operations in Latin America. Webb eventually died from two gunshot wounds to the head in what authorities dubbed a “suicide.” But the government eventually admitted to even more than what he had exposed.

Mexico’s Zambada is also accused of conspiring to obtain weapons in the U.S. to wreak havoc during the period he claims to have been working for the federal government. The Obama administration is refusing to cooperate with a congressional investigation of the ATF operation that was deliberately giving high-powered weapons to Mexican cartels, some of which were involved in the murders of federal agents.

According to analysts, there is likely much more to come about these stories — unless, as some speculate, the case completely disappears from public view under the guise of "national security." But with almost 40,000 murders in Mexico attributed to the government’s war on drugs in recent years, interest will certainly not fade any time soon.

The Zambada drug case is currently pending in federal court in Illinois. The next step is a status hearing on June 15 before U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo. The other case is pending in Washington.

The allegations made by Zambada add to worries about a long list of suspicious government operations attracting scrutiny in recent weeks. With the exposure of the ATF’s Operation Gunrunner, project "Fast and Furious"; along with recent revelations that some al Qaeda terrorists were working with Western intelligence agencies, even as others currently serve as U.S. government allies in Libya; it appears to critics that many of the “boogey men” the federal government claims to be saving Americans from are not always what they seem.

Photo: A courtroom artist's drawing of Jesus Vicente Zambada-Niebla appearing before a U.S. District Judge on Feb. 23, 2010, in Chicago's federal court.

[marktwain]

Not much coverage of this.

[FreedomOfExpression]

BTTT

[marstegreg]

Thank you for posting. I had no idea.

[gaijin]

I used to scoff at the “CIA/Cocaine” stuff, but in view of the Gun Walker scandal.....I’m sad to say I’m now listening to these nutty kooks.

I...think the kooks could be RIGHT.

And that makes me terrified.

It looks like export of weapons/import of addictive drugs were twin sides of the same government coin.

Does the US government despise America?

[TennesseeGirl]

Mena, AR and the Clintons immediately came to mind.

[subterfuge]

Ha. It’s been obvious for decades. The “War On Drugs” is more of a partnership between big government, Mexico and the industry known as “law enforcement.”

Fits in nicely with the Democrat-constituency demographic too.

[Pollster1]

A high-ranking Mexican drug-cartel operative extradited to the United States claimed in a recent court filing that he was actually trafficking tons of cocaine on behalf of the American federal government

Does anyone seriously think that anyone in our government wants that stuff in the United States.

"I had learned not to care. I blew a few smoke rings, remembering those years. Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it. Not smack, though."
- Barack Obama

Never mind.

[Darksheare]

Gunwalker II, the Dopening.
If only it were a grade Z movie instead.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Operation Drug Walker.

[ScubieNuc]

I hear you. Once you realize that even some of the conspiracy theories “Might” have some legs, it really shakes your confidence in what is real.

I remember reading something a long time ago, that I thought was strange, but it did seem to explain some things. The story alledged that the CIA, under George H. Bush’s reign (and possibly under Reagan’s) were using some airport in Medina (?) Arkansas to bring in cocaine to be sold for clandestine projects (Iran-Contra ?). This was allowed by then Governor, Bill Clinton.

This information held by Clinton, was supposedly what prevented the Republicans from impeaching him. Kind of a Mexican stand off thing.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Brenner dude winds up dying in some kind of plane crash like ol’ Ron Brown.

Yeah, once you take that pill, you’d be surprised how deep the “rabbit hole” goes. The world just aint the same afterwards.

[nathanbedford]

I used to believe that the war on drugs was poisoning the American bloodstream with corruption at such a rate that the rule of law was threatened. I also believe that if you have no rule of law you have no democracy, therefore, waging a futile war against drugs was actually to unwittingly make war on our own democracy.

Whether this news account is true or not is a small matter. What really matters is that our society is under more immediate and greater threat from the current administration whether or not it is double dealing cocaine with the Mexicans. We are in such peril from so many sources that we must actually prioritize the threats against us. I would say that the harm we do ourselves by waging the war on drugs is a far lesser threat than our fiscal and monetary crisis. It is less of a threat than what might happen to our democracy if Obama gets another term. It is less of a threat than if our creditors simply stop buying our bonds.

The reckoning cannot be long delayed. We will have no more money to pay for double dealing from the Pakistanis, we will have no more money to pay dubious tyrants in Egypt, we will have no more money to incarcerate hundreds of thousands of drug felons and otherwise wage a hopeless and self-defeating drug war, we will simply have no more money. Our options are falling away. We shall soon know how quickly we must face the dénouement when it comes time to extend the debt.

If as you read this reply you do not see how these matters are connected, I truly hope your vision is better than mine.

[TheOldLady]

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[Inyo-Mono]

God’s grace is no longer upon us.

[Just mythoughts]

fyi

[Boogieman]

“It looks like export of weapons/import of addictive drugs were twin sides of the same government coin.”

Yes, that happened in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam war, and again in Central America during the Nicaraguan conflict. I don’t think the reasons for it are as simple as your question implies though.

Mainly, these operations are run by the intelligence agencies, who have a vested interest in making profits off the books to fund illegal operations that they don’t report to Congress. They surely know that the drugs will end up here one way or another, so if they facilitate it, they rake in a share of the profits instead of it all going to the criminals. A secondary benefit to them is that they gain vital contacts in the criminal underground worldwide, who are undoubtedly of high value in obtaining certain types of intelligence in many countries. Also, they’ve obviously used the arms trade part of the equation to manipulate guerilla groups towards our interests.

[blueunicorn6]

If the California liberals can elect Jerry Brown, Nancy Pelosi and Dianne Feinstein, but they can’t get marijuana legalized, then you know the fix is in and the illegal drug money controls the Democrats.

[iopscusa]

Corruption by the enormous amount of drug money is inevitable. The questions are, for how long, who and what can be done? We have a rogue government defended by a ruthless Police State. It’s becoming very clear that there’s only 1 way to clean it up.

[Gilbo_3]

Webb eventually died from two gunshot wounds to the head in what authorities dubbed a “suicide.”

well if at first you dont succeed...ouch, dammit...

[IMR 4350]

When I was living in Corpus Christi, TX in the 1980’s I had at least three attempts against my life because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and learned about a massive dope running operation involving corrupt law enforcement.

That dope running operation was a continuation of the dope running operation into Mena Arkansas.

[manic4organic]

Obama had to replenish his stash.