Hundreds Arrested in Cross-Country Campaign Against Drug Cartel

Federal authorities arrested more than 750 people across the country in what they describe as "the largest and hardest hitting" operation to ever target the "the very violent and dangerously powerful" drug cartel known as Sinaloa.

"International drug-trafficking organizations pose a sustained, serious threat to the safety and security as of our communities," Attorney General Eric Holder said in prepared remarks at a Washington press conference Wednesday afternoon...

"As the world grows smaller and international criminals step up their efforts to operate inside our borders, [we] will confront them head-on to keep our communities safe."

Through "Operation Xcellerator," authorities say they seized more than $59 million in cash, 149 vehicles, three aircraft and three ships used by the cartel..

But the cartel's influence stretches even farther. Other organizations with ties to those cases have been busted by authorities in parts of Minnesota, New York, Arizona, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Texas.

According to the Justice Department's National Drug Intelligence Center, 230 cities across the country are faced with some form of drug cartel or Mexican gang presence.

The DEA says efforts continue to "stop the ruthless violence the traffickers inflict on innocent citizens in the U.S., Mexico and Canada."

Federal authorities say more than $14 billion worth of illegal drugs is smuggled into the United States through Mexico every year. New Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair recently warned a Senate committee that — at some point — the Mexican government may not be much help.

"The corruptive influence and increasing violence of Mexican drug cartels impedes Mexico City's ability to govern parts of its country," he said.

"These cartels are not just operating in Mexico," the attorney general said. "Their reach stretches far and wide. We simply cannot afford to let down our guard. These cartels will be destroyed."

The DEA says efforts continue to "stop the ruthless violence the traffickers inflict on innocent citizens in the U.S., Mexico and Canada."

And here, Aunt Janet told us that Mexican Drug Violence had not crossed our borders in any significant numbers, yet.

Liar. But then, what else is new...?

The fence might not really matter in this discussion. There are other, better ways than sending drugs across the desert.

I have very close knowledge of two international companies with contracts with the government of Mexico to investigate specific transactions between American and Mexican companies. The effort uncovers fraudulent transactions by fraudulent companies. part of the analysis is confirming the companies actually exist at the locations noted on the documentation.

Although the Mexican Government makes the requests and pays the money for the investigations, I have become convinced that the money is given to Mexico from US Government war on drugs.

All most all transactions are legitimate and indicate a very healthy trade between lots and lots of American companies both very large and very small. Some of the fraudulent addresses on commercial documents are vacant lots, randomly selected upscale residential properties, the actual address of a different company or Suite 9 in an office building having only 8 offices. There are bogus invoices pasted up from graphics captured off the company web site for bogus merchandise.

I believe these fraudulent transactions are drug related. This news article is the first indication I’ve seen of a payoff.

By the way, legitimate businesses are very cooperative with an effort by the government of Mexico to clean things up.

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