Juarez Cartel Announces Chief Ops Officer Retirement

[kennethm3]

Juarez Cartel leader is arrested in Mexico

06:45 PM CST on Wednesday, December 15, 2004


Associated Press



EL PASO, Texas – Mexican authorities have arrested an alleged drug cartel captain who was living in luxury in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, driving expensive cars and carrying automatic weapons.

Ambrosio Gutierrez Gomez, who owns a multimillion-dollar heavy equipment business in Juarez, allegedly works for Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. El Paso FBI spokesman Art Werge on Wednesday described Guzman as "one of the biggest drug traffickers in Mexico."

Gutierrez's business was seized along with a $200,000 home, a new Land Rover valued at $70,000 and $24,000 in U.S. currency. Gutierrez has been indicted in the United States on money laundering and numerous drug charges, but probably will be prosecuted in Mexico, Werge said.

U.S. and Mexican authorities are looking for another man who allegedly works for Guzman, Noel Salgueiro Nevarez. Authorities found armored BMWs, bulletproof vests and machines guns during a raid of Salgueiro's residence.

"They were living in affluent houses in the best areas of Juarez," Werge said. "The front door of (Gutierrez's) mansion was reinforced. You just couldn't knock it down."

The arrest and searches were part of a two-year, multiagency investigation that includes the Mexican and U.S. attorney general's offices; FBI offices in El Paso, New York, Chicago and Detroit; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

On the U.S. side, the FBI announced the indictments of 14 people connected with the cartel and the seizure of vehicles, property and $1.6 million in U.S. currency.

The arrests and seizures took place between Friday and Sunday.

Guzman has been connected to the 1993 killing of Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo in Guadalajara, Mexico, Werge said.

He also is accused of killing Rodolfo Carrillo Fuentes, the brother of Amado Carrillo Fuentes, who was the leader of the Juarez Cartel until he died in 1997 during plastic surgery.

Another brother, Vicente, now shares power with Juan Jose Esparragoza-Moreno, according to Mexican authorities.

Esparragoza-Moreno and Ignacio Coronel Villareal, another Juarez Cartel leader, were indicted on drug trafficking charges by a U.S. federal grand jury in October. Vicente Carrillo Fuentes was indicted in 1998 on the same charges.

To date, the operation has accounted for the indictments of 56 people and the seizure of 5,500 pounds of marijuana, 1870 pounds of cocaine and approximately $10 million dollars in U.S. currency.

[PEACE]

The arrest and searches were part of a two-year, multiagency investigation that includes the Mexican and U.S. attorney general's offices; FBI offices in El Paso, New York, Chicago and Detroit; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

On the U.S. side, the FBI announced the indictments of 14 people connected with the cartel and the seizure of vehicles, property and $1.6 million in U.S. currency.

Glad to see the FBI got their man, and that DEA and ICE were able to assist.

[dmclark]

Well, I know alot about this and other superceding indictments in El Paso and I'll be a good guy and keep my usually engaged mouth shut. DM