Transcript of Press Conference by Mexican Attorney General on Results of U.S./Mexican Drug Operation

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WASHINGTON, July 31 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following is a transcript of a press conference by AG Marcial Rafael Macedo de la Concha on the outcomes of the coordinated operation between Procuraduria General De La Republica and DOJ, where Manuel Medina Campas and three more Ismael Zambada Garcia cartel4s associates were apprehended:

Today we have summoned you to this press conference in order to acknowledge the outcome of a 18-month investigation. This investigation was carried out by the Mexican Attorney General4s office and the US Department of Justice and successfully ended up in the dismantling of a major cell of the criminal organization leaded by Ismael Zambada Garcia (a.k.a.) El mayo zambada, and under the command of Manuel Medina Campos, and the arrest of its members, in Mexico and the northern neighbor country as well.

On December 27, last year, this attorney general announced the localization and seizure of a tunnel used by the Ismael Zambada organization for the transferring of drugs en Nogales city, Sonora, in addition to the apprehension of five people who are standing trial.

Today, as a consequence of the follow up of this investigation, beginning with the information and documents collected throughout that operation, and the information shared amongst the us agencies, we struck a new and conclusive blow to that infamous criminal organization when apprehending the members of one of the major drug supply networks, 4 people in Mexico, and 12 in the us.

Those apprehended in Mexico and their roles within the organization are: Manuel Medina Campas, head of the cell in charge with the Zambada Garcia cartel4s drug moving, smuggling and distribution in the US, and the drug tunnel mentioned above; Ismael Lugo Diaz (a.k.a.) "El Cholo", leading the distribution and sell of drugs in Phoenix, Tucson And Ohio, US; David Meza Fernandez or David Castro Sequeiros and Francisco Meza Fernandez, associates from Medina Campas.

The tools set forth in the federal law on organized crime have been used within the corresponding preliminary investigation headed by the specialized deputy attorney's office on organized crime, with the support of the federal investigation agency. Particularly, those wiretap tools authorized by a court warrant, additionally to some other law enforcement investigation techniques, that along the sharing of information allow us to know and prove with documents this cell operation, routes and contacts in both of our countries.

Along the investigation, personnel from this AG detected and followed up the moving of drugs from Guadalajara, Jalisco, stopping in Hermosillo, Sonora and entering the us at the border city of Nogales.

Once in the US, and thanks to the information shared by Mexico, the authorities in the US continued the follow up of the drug distribution route in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Tucson, Ohio, Chicago, and New York.

The actions performed allowed to identify the members of the cell and their contacts in cities in Mexico and us. Early this month this attorney general4s office and the US DOJ agreed on the performance of a coordinated operation with the goal to apprehend all the people involved. Each one of the agencies acting in its own territory. Today we are acknowledging the results of such operation. I know that later today in Washington D.C. the AG Ashcroft will announce the actions within his country making use of the information processed and shares amongst us along these investigations.

This outcome is not the result of an isolated effort. It is part of a series of actions carried out along 19 months of investigation against this criminal investigation:

1. On February 14, 2002 it was seized in Tucson a 34 kilogram shipment of cocaine. From those packages Manuel Medina Campas fingerprints were identified.

2. On May 19, 2003, it was seized in New York a shipment loaded with 37 kilograms of cocaine, after its follow up from Guadalajara, Jalisco.

3. On June 21, 2003, in Youngstown, Ohio it was seized a truck containing 312,000 US dollars. Its owner was Manuel Medina Campas.

4. On July 12, 2003, in New York, Steve Silva, the individual in charge with the Manuel Medina4s drug distribution and sell was apprehended. 56 kilograms of cocaine and 600,000 US dollars were seized.

I would like to acknowledge the Attorney General John Ashcroft and the US authorities as well, allies who on daily basis assume the commitment of fighting drugs within a framework of cooperation, trust and mutual respect, conveying an unprecedented outcome such the dismantling of the drug distribution network operating with impunity in different US cities.

Investigations like this one are the living proof that nowadays organizations have no nationality, they do not recognize borderlines, and have no limits. They are a scourge that we all suffer and we all have to face.

This investigation reveals that also international cooperation is an useful and effective mechanism to face international organized crime, but not only that, organized crime it is fought and taken to justice as well.

Criminals, and drug dealers are now aware that we are closely following their steps, day after day. They know that they cannot hurt with impunity our societies and institutions. Founded on that certainty we continue following the new investigations clues within the ongoing preliminary investigation, acknowledging of its outcome when the time comes.

apprehending the members of one of the major drug supply networks, 4 people in Mexico, and 12 in the us.

I won't hold my breath waiting for news of a decline in US drug supplies.

3 posted on 07/31/2003 11:29:22 AM PDT by MrLeRoy (The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. - Jefferson)

and the arrest of its members, in Mexico and the northern neighbor country as well

Is "the northern neighbor country" for the USA a term like "the zionist entity" for Israel, used by those who cannot bear to speak its name?

Presidente Fox and his business colleagues in his Enjoyment Enhancing Substance Exporting Organization ("cartel" is such a negative word) were happy to help the EU apprehend members of competing cartels and their drugs in the US.

President Fox said, "So long as our inventory is left untouched, we are happy to cooperate with US authorities to do as much damage as possible to those who would dare compete against us in the most lucrative of our markets."

Fox added, "We continue to believe that no action should be taken on the sacred ground of Mexico to limit this very profitable trade and that it is solely a US problem because that is where the wealthy buyers are."

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