Mexican drug cartels control vast swaths of the US drug market, but that influence remains heavily slanted in favor of the vaunted Sinaloa cartel. These interactions help Mexican organizations expand their influence, the DEA reports, and "insulates Mexican TCOs from direct ties to street-level drug seizures and arrests made by US law enforcement.". The two seized deposit boxes, tied to Monicas Taco Shop, contained more than $800,000, the complaint said. drug cartel, an illicit consortium of independent organizations formed to limit competition and control the production and distribution of illegal drugs. Most were never released. Daily Briefing Extortion has proven to be a lucrative ancillary enterprise for cartels in Mexico resulting in thousands of businesses closing rather than pay the quota, as it is called, or the store owners face the threat of death, which too has occurred. Maybe he was hoping the Zetas would kidnapped that girl because she was stupid enough to follow him there. Cartels, especially the Juarez and Sinaloa, who have a strong presence in Colorado, could not have been happy with the estimated $1 million in sales Jan. 1, the first day of legalized retail sales. The car was eventually picked up by Rivera-Beltran after an unsuccessful attempt by Guadalupe Ortiz, and they both drove to Dallas, Texas, arriving on Sept. 18, the indictment says. Legal Statement. Rivera said Escamilla had left Colorado to deliver the $170,000, which agents knew to be a lie because Escamilla's GPS pings were still in Colorado, the indictment says. A seventh restaurant with ties to Colorado Springs also was named in the complaint. Specifically, the indictment says Zytacua had calls with users about the cost of 30 milligram pills, which agents believed to be fake fentanyl pills masked as M30 oxycodone pills. However, the indictment says, Tarango-Rodriguez began speaking to Rivera-Beltran a day later to ask if he had "buttons," which investigators believe meant fentanyl pills. We are stronger than this crap. Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. 'Yes, the Boulder area could be a giant cash cow for the Department of Homeland Security Cartel! "Legal businesses will likely see a rise in extortion attempts while law enforcement will see a lot of backdoor deals being made.". Stay up to date with what you want to know. He also made calls to customers and suppliers throughout the month, the indictment says. It has concentrated in some areas of California, appeared in South Florida and the Pacific Northwest, and set up outposts on the East Coast. These cartels primarily employ Mexican nationals to oversee their distribution operations in the United States. But the general consensus is that the Mexican cartels will not quietly relinquish the Denver market. COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - A Sierra High School student was shot off-campus on Tuesday. The restaurants would buy food from El Potosino and accept invoices for items they did not order or receive so checks could be cut to the company and Aguilar-Martinez, 48, who is in the U.S. illegally, the complaint said. Mexican cartels aren't prevalent in New York City probably because smaller Colombian drug operations still supply large quantities of cocaine and heroin into New York City. Villasuso also said that even if legal stores do face extortion efforts by cartel groups it is unlikely law enforcement will even be made aware of it if merchants are too frightened to come to police. DENVER (AP) - The U.S. Department of Justice says two Mexican cartels are active in five Colorado cities. Sure you did. Troopers located the box and found about 728.8 grams of heroin, about 2.32 kilos of several pre-packaged blue 30-milligram fentanyl pills and about 32.3 grams of meth seized from Ernestina Montoya, a passenger in the car, according to the indictment. The vehicles driven by Trevizo and Peterson pulled into the carport. Mexican drug cartels also convert wealthy Chinese nationals' Renminbi (RMB) to US dollars at a lower rate than the prevailing market rate. Rivera-Beltran responded they would ask "Canelo" (later identified as Cesar Antonio Ortiz) for 100 more "buttons," according to the indictment. In 2017, 16-year-old Nathaniel Czajkowski was shot to death in Albertacos while eating with three friends, two of whom also were shot. The U.S. war on drugs began under the administration of Pres. The Zetas were crossing and kidnapping US citizens and in one occurrence, there were more than 150 US citizens rescued back then. A wiretap order was signed for Padilla-Romo's phone number in May, and agents learned that he was negotiating drug deals with multiple individuals including Luis "Chilo" Jacob Zytacua, who the indictment says also negotiated the purchase of guns. At least one of the five young men killed by the Mexican military had alleged links to Cartel del Noreste, which operates in the northern border city of Nuevo Laredo across from Texas. Dunque also relayed the information that many Mexican drug cartels are now . A Mexican intelligence report alleges that he was linked to the Northeast Cartel's special forces 35th battalion, Alejandro Trujillo was one of five men who were shot dead by soldiers in Nuevo Laredo, Mexican. The Sinaloa Cartel, a Mexican drug gang with one of the largest U.S. footprints - including just about everything east of the Mississippi -- of all the cartels. Market data provided by Factset. Since the 1980s, they have dominated the international narcotics trade. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here. The . "Much like the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG is a poly-drug trafficking organization dealing in wholesale amounts of primarily methamphetamine, but also cocaine, heroin, and marijuana," the DEA notes, adding, "CJNG has drug distribution hubs in the US cities of Los Angeles and Atlanta.". If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here. Antonio Ortiz said Rodriguez needed to make up for money that was previously seized by law enforcement, the discussed losing trust in Escamilla, discussed "almonds (believed to be fentanyl pills), and Rivera ended the call by saying he would bring up four more boxes of pills and to kilos of heroin, according to the indictment. We try to spoil when we should understand we haven't spoiled so much, because they know we are working hard for them. Well cartels and Mexican maryjuana did take a hit in Colorado. 9Wants to Know examined a situation report from the US Department of Justice National Drug Intelligence Center, which says the Juarez and Sinaloa cartels are active in five Colorado cities. Rivera-Beltran then called Antonio Ortiz and old him "s*** went to hell," and that they needed to save what they could because there was a lot of "work," believed to be drugs, at the house, according to the indictment. Inside Matt Hancock's 41-hour battle to save his career when photo of 'a snog and heavy petting' Will Vladimir Putin's empress pay the ultimate price for his war on the West? There are sooo many opiate addicts in colorado from high school to your grandma its crazy. We ranked each city by the number of different Mexican cartels that use as a distribution hub. Ryan Saavedra is a contributor for Breitbart Texas and can be found on Twitter at @RealSaavedra. Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting. Also on Sept. 18, the indictment says, Beltran-Beltran called Rivera-Beltran about Escamilla bringing $100,000 or $105,000 to Phoenix, which was later seized by authorities. There was a problem saving your notification. Most notably, the Juarez cartel has reportedly seen its dominance in most of New Mexico eroded by the Sinaloa cartel. (YouTube) Mexican authorities believe a body found wrapped in plastic and left . The state of Colorado was the first to officially legalize marijuana and to offer recreational marijuana in 2014. . While the wiretap investigation was beginning, the indictment says an undercover officer was introduced to Saul Ramon Rivera-Beltran. Rodriguez said he flew to Arizona the previous night to pick up the car which was purchased by a friend and drive it to Denver, the indictment says. But, according to the most recent report from the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sinaloa cartel and traffickers affiliated with it still control the lion's share of the US market for illegal narcotics. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Best Mexican Restaurants in Colorado Springs, El Paso County: Find Tripadvisor traveler reviews of Colorado Springs Mexican restaurants and search by price, location, and more. Add Pueblo Colorado to the list. February 15, 2023 04:32 PM AUSTIN, Texas A county sheriff plans to sound the alarm before Congress about mass incursions of unidentified flying objects illegally entering U.S. airspace from. In addition, two related defendants were identified and arrested after the indictment, the district attorney's office said. Rivera-Beltran said he had guns and "almonds," believed to be fentanyl pills, at the house. The same drug cartels causing chaos on the U.S./Mexico border are also active in Colorado. as well as other partner offers and accept our, NOW WATCH: This is how Mexican drug cartels make billions selling drugs, an offshoot of the Sinaloa cartel around 2010, violent turf wars in several areas on Mexico's west coast. Escamilla called Beltran-Beltran later that night, who told Escamilla he needed to pick up 24,000 pills that were moved out of the house after the traffic stop, according to the indictment. POLL: How will the Rockies fare this season in the NL West? All rights reserved. You can get killed for just walking around the east side. Nuevo Laredo is the worst of all the border cities for kidnapping US citizens. It is also the most significant drug trafficking organization in the United States. A 2020 report prepared by the Congressional Research Service says the cartel originated in western. The WORST care homes in England: Interactive map reveals the lowest-rated 2,530 residences - so is An intelligence report obtained by TV Azteca indicated that Wilberto Mata, one of the five young men killed by soldier in the northern border city of Nuevo Laredo, was an alleged member of the Cartel del Noreste ( Northeast Cartel), Gustavo Surez, an American from San Antonio, Texas, was a purported member of the Northeast Cartel, according to a Mexican intelligence report. In a conversation with Beltran-Beltran later that day, Rivera-Beltran said that things were bad and the police had gotten Jorge Escamilla and his brother Antonio Lorenzo Escamilla on their way to Arizona, according to the indictment. Boogie! DENVER Twenty-one people have been charged in Colorado for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking ring linked to a Mexican cartel, according to law enforcement officials. Investigators also followed the vehicle driven by Peterson, watched him transfer the items into another truck, and pulled him over, the indictment says. In a second picture that was posted online, Mata is seen with a rifle and an army fatigue green vest that appeared to have grenades concealed. (File, courtesy of KKTV). WASHINGTON Two sons of notorious drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman have been indicted on drug conspiracy charges, the Justice Department s. Albertacos did close briefly after funds were seized, but it has reopened.