All articles tagged with #cartel
Mexican authorities are probing the killing of César Gastelum, a 25-year-old influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers, who was shot dead by motorcycle gunmen while live-streaming outside a fast-food outlet in Culiacán. Officials are considering links to a criminal faction amid the Sinaloa cartel’s bloody power struggle; two collaborators were unharmed and no arrests have been announced.
Mexican prosecutors say Ramón Ángel Álvarez Ayala, aka El R1, a senior Jalisco New Generation Cartel member, ordered the hit on beauty influencer Valeria Márquez during a livestream and is also implicated in the killing of a mayor during Day of the Dead; a separate special-forces operation in Jalisco killed a member of Ayala’s security detail. Márquez, 23, was livestreaming from a Zapopan salon when she was shot after confirming her name, and authorities say Ayala and the gunman remain at large. Prosecutors note Márquez had been in a relationship with one of El R1’s sons, who allegedly pressed his father to carry out the hit.
A 55-foot-deep, about 2,000-foot-long tunnel hidden beneath a Buy 4 Less in Otay Mesa, San Diego County, fitted with reinforced walls, a rail system, ventilation and electricity, was used by the Jalisco New Generation cartel to smuggle roughly $45 million worth of cocaine from Mexico to California. Homeland Security agents uncovered the passage after months of surveillance and seizures, exposing an elaborate cross-border operation; four men face conspiracy charges to import and distribute narcotics, with potential life sentences and up to $10 million fines. The tunnel can be accessed by a hydraulic lift, and authorities note this case demonstrates the ongoing danger of subterranean smuggling along the California border.
An indicted ally of a Mexican governor is due in a U.S. court on charges tied to cartel activity, signaling ongoing cross-border cooperation against organized crime.
The United States charged Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya, Culiacán Mayor Juan de Dios Gámez Mendívil, and eight others from Morena with drug-trafficking linked to the Sinaloa cartel. Rocha and Gámez Mendívil will take 30-day leaves of absence and lose immunity, with interim governor Yeraldine Bonilla Valverde stepping in; Senator Enrique Inzunza will remain in the Senate. Mexico’s president and attorney general are overseeing the inquiry, and Sheinbaum stressed Mexico’s sovereignty and promised to pursue individuals if proven guilty.
Mexican special forces, with U.S. intelligence support, stormed Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes’s luxury mountain hideout near Tapalpa, killing El Mencho after an hours-long gun battle that also triggered deadly reprisals across Mexico; the raid exposed a lavish compound with armed guards, drones, designer gear, and a payroll notebook detailing pay for commanders, mercenaries, and drone operators.
Mexican authorities said remains were found in Sinaloa during the search for 10 workers abducted from the Vancouver-based Vizsla Silver mine; four suspects were arrested, and the Navy dismantled cartel camps in the area amid a feud between Sinaloa cartel factions.
Tommy Norris survives a brutal finale, is fired by Cami Miller, and is reborn with a $44 million loan from Garcia (now Danny Morrell) to fund a fresh drilling venture via CTT Exploration, reestablishing cartel ties and setting up his son Cooper in a leadership role as Season 3 looms. The episode reinforces Sheridan’s loyalty-driven drama, with Angela’s support and Paigyn/Ainsley’s evolving arc adding humor and heart to the mix.
Mexico extradited 26 inmates linked to major drug cartels to the US, including key operatives from CJNG and Sinaloa, as part of ongoing cooperation to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, amidst diplomatic pressures and security concerns.
The EU fined Delivery Hero and Glovo €329 million for participating in an online food delivery cartel, involving anti-competitive practices such as employee poaching bans and location agreements, marking a significant crackdown on minority stake influence and no-poach agreements in the industry.
Netflix's new musical 'Emilia Pérez' tells the story of a Mexican cartel boss who transitions to a woman and reintegrates into her children's lives as a distant relative. The film, featuring Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, and Selena Gomez, has sparked divisive opinions.
A federal judge has denied Mexican drug lord "El Chapo" Guzman's request for phone calls and visits with his daughters and wife, stating that the Bureau of Prisons is solely responsible for his conditions. Guzman, serving a life sentence in a Supermax prison in Colorado, had requested visits with his family, citing unprecedented discrimination. The judge's decision comes after Guzman's previous plea for intervention due to alleged psychological torment in prison.
Europol's report reveals that over 800 criminal networks with more than 25,000 members are infiltrating legal businesses in the EU, using corruption to hide their activities and launder criminal profits. Examples include an Italian businessman in Spain involved in drug trafficking and money laundering through fruit import companies, and 'Ndrangheta syndicate families investing in real estate and commercial activities. Drug trafficking and corruption are the main concerns, with record amounts of cocaine being seized in Europe and drug-related violent crime increasing. Europol plans to share the data with law enforcement agencies in EU member countries to better target criminals.
Bertha Gisela Gaytán Gutiérrez, a mayoral candidate in Mexico, was shot and killed as she began campaigning in the violence-stricken city of Celaya, marking another politician to be murdered in the country in recent weeks. The killing comes amidst an increasingly bloody runup to Mexico's June 2 elections, with at least 14 candidates killed since the start of 2024. The state of Guanajuato, where the killing took place, has been plagued by high levels of violence, and the incident underscores the widespread issue of violence against politicians in Mexico.
A 50-count indictment has led to the arrest of 23 individuals involved in cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, and meth trafficking in the Houston and Galveston areas, allegedly under the control of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The operation, spanning multiple jurisdictions, has resulted in the seizure of large quantities of drugs and the arrest of 20 people, with warrants outstanding for 16 others. The indictment seeks forfeiture of $10 million in illegal proceeds, and the defendants face up to life in prison if convicted. The arrests are the culmination of a 63-month investigation dubbed Operation Rainmaker, led by the DEA and USMS with assistance from other law enforcement agencies.