Posted on 02/06/2021 2:36:04 PM PST by ransomnote
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Raymond P. Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and Dermot Shea, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that JOSE LORETO GASTELUM‑TORRES and FREDY ALEJANDRO GASTELUM‑VEGA were charged in a criminal complaint in Manhattan federal court with conspiring to import approximately 2.5 tons of methamphetamine and 100,000 fentanyl pills into the United States. The charge arises from a January 29, 2021, seizure by Mexico’s Secretaría de Marina (the “Mexican Navy”) of approximately 2.5 tons of methamphetamine and 100,000 fentanyl pills in Sinaloa, Mexico.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Thanks to the DEA, HSI, the NYPD, and the rest of our OCDETF New York Strike Force partners, as well as the Mexican Navy, a major shipment of potentially lethal drugs was interdicted before it could addict, poison, and potentially kill untold numbers of people in the United States.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Raymond P. Donovan said: “There is a tidal wave of fentanyl and methamphetamine being pushed from Mexico into the United States. Case in point, these two traffickers were allegedly caught red-handed with over $90 million dollars’ worth of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Traffickers see opportunities when drug overdoses rise, and they are trying to flood American markets with these synthetic, highly addictive, and dangerous drugs. DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to target drug networks to keep Americans safe and save lives.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh said: “Those arrested allegedly sought to traffic thousands of fentanyl pills and multiple tons of methamphetamine, which would only exacerbate the plague currently devastating our community while steadily increasing addictions and overdose deaths. The Strike Force has been a proven model for success in dismantling transnational narcotics trafficking organizations. HSI showcased our unique value at the Strike Force in this case by leveraging our border resources to not only effectively address threats and vulnerabilities but moreover promote collaboration in furthering these investigations, making timely and significant arrests, and stopping deadly drugs from flooding our streets.”
Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said: “Today’s charges demonstrate that the investigative efforts of the NYPD in coordination with our law enforcement partners are far-reaching and focused. As long as individuals, wherever they may be, are involved in illegal narcotics trafficking, the NYPD and our partners will relentlessly work to end the threat to public safety. I commend and thank the NYPD investigators, members of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force Initiative, agents from the New York Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the attorneys at the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District, for their dedication to this investigation.
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed in federal court[1]:
On or about January 29, 2021, the Mexican Navy located and began tracking an outboard‑powered boat traveling from Las Arenitas, Sinaloa, Mexico, northwest through the Gulf of California. Approximately several hours later, the Mexican Navy interdicted the vessel in or around Topolobampo, Sinaloa, Mexico, and arrested GASTELUM‑TORRES and GASTELUM‑VEGA. Mexican Navy officers seized approximately 960 plastic containers from the boat, which contained approximately 2.5 tons of methamphetamine and 100,000 pills of fentanyl.
* * *
GASTELUM‑TORRES, 53, and GASTELUM‑VEGA, 33, of Mexico, are each charged with conspiring to import at least 500 grams of methamphetamine and at least 400 grams of fentanyl into the United States, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (“OCDETF”) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
This investigation was conducted by the OCDETF New York Strike Force in partnership with the DEA’s law enforcement partners. The OCDETF New York Strike Force comprises federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies supported by OCDETF and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area. The Strike Force is affiliated with the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA, NYPD, New York State Police, HSI, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, New York National Guard, Clarkstown Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Port Washington Police Department, and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the OCDETF New York Strike Force and Mexico’s Secretaría de Marina.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander Li, Benjamin Woodside Schrier, and Kyle A. Wirshba are in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation as to the defendants charged in the Complaint.
Biden pharmacuticals are in full swing.
What’d they do that for? Biden Care was supposed to supply me with my meds at a reduced rate. Another broken promise.
Jen Psaki denies any knowledge. Says she’ll have to circle back on this one..
The Big Guy didn’t get his 10%.
C’MON MAN!!!
They are going to find guns and ammo to be more profitable in short order.
Then we will see how quickly the leftists try to close up the border.
This is why the democrats want an open border. They gotta have their dope.
CHINA.
Ray Donovan. 🤣
This was just Hunter Biden’s cut. BIG GUY is gonna be pissed!
Ice Cream Xoe Xiden needs to defend these poor drug traffickers before they are separated from their families and sent to prison and put in Trump’s cages.
And liberals wonder why we don’t want illegals flooding this country.
There’s not much we can do about this tidal wave of evil that looks like it’s going to crush us, but we can be ready spiritually.
We can do our best to share the gospel and see people be saved, and parents can do what they can to teach their kids well and prepare them for the the onslaught of propaganda and brainwashing that they will be facing for years.
Teach them the TRUTH. Stay in the word and pray without ceasing.
They should have waited a month. Biden himself would have held open the gate for them, passed them Green Cards and an application for Citizenship.
Confusing story.
The boat was seized by the Mexican police hundreds of miles from the US. The boat had 2.5 tons of meth but the two guys were only accused of trying to smuggle 500 grams into the US. There was also fentanyl but I am focusing on the meth right now.
Maybe there wasn’t enough evidence to charge them with trying to smuggle the entire 2.5 tons into the US?
I also wonder how they can charge someone with smuggling drugs into the US when they are captured hundreds of miles from the US. Perhaps they have other evidence.
In any event I would think slick lawyers could get these guys off.
Imagine if the $#@%!!&% Mexican put this kind of energy into fixing their country instead of destroying ours?
Mexican Drug Traffickers Charged With Conspiring To Import Large Quantities Of Narcotics Into The United States Based On Seizure Of 2.5 Tons Of Methamphetamine And 100,000 Fentanyl Pills:
Is HumpHer Biden the consultant with these guys?
Are the ChiComs the suppliers of these Mexican Drug Traffickers?
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