Thread: 751 arrested in sweep of Mexican drug cartels in U.S.

Sweeping arrests target Mexican drug cartels

By DEVLIN BARRETT, The Associated Press
9:34 a.m. February 25, 2009

WASHINGTON — Federal agents have rounded up more than 700 suspects in a wide-ranging crackdown on Mexican drug cartels operating inside the United States.

A law enforcement official familiar with the sweep said the arrests culminated in a series of Drug Enforcement Administration raids Tuesday night and Wednesday morning from one end of the country to the other. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because authorities were still gathering evidence.

Attorney General Eric Holder plans to announce results of the crackdown at an afternoon news conference in Washington.

Kidnappings, killings and other violence related to the cross-border drug trade have escalated as heavily armed gangs battle for turf on the doorstep of the U.S. narcotics market.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/stories/2 ... ndex=58326

If you see stories about these arrest in your local news papers please post them here so we can get the big picture of this.

Mexico receives billions per year from the drug trade in the U.S. 59 million is a drop in the bucket....I do hope these raids/arrests continue ...it's time to just say NO MAS to Mexican crime, drugs and illegal aliens in our country. Enough is enough.

U.S. arrests 751 in Mexican drug cartel raids

DEA nets Sinaloa suspects in 120 cities; drugs, planes, boats, cars seized

WASHINGTON - Federal agents have rounded up 751 suspects in a wide-ranging crackdown on a Mexican drug cartel operating inside the United States, a law enforcement official told NBC News on Wednesday.

The sweep against the Sinaloa cartel culminated in a series of Drug Enforcement Administration raids Tuesday night and Wednesday morning in 120 cities.

The official added that DEA agents seized $59 million in U.S. currency; 12,535 kilograms of cocaine; more than 16,000 pounds of marijuana; more than 12 pounds of methamphetamine; approximately 8 kilograms of heroin; approximately 1.3 million pills or 500 pounds of Ecstasy; approximately 120 kilograms of MDMA powder; and more than $6.5 million in other assets, including 149 vehicles, 3 aircraft, 3 maritime vessels and 169 weapons. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because authorities were still gathering evidence.

Attorney General Eric Holder plans to announce results of the crackdown at a news conference in Washington on Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET.

Kidnappings, killings and other violence related to the cross-border drug trade have escalated as heavily armed gangs battle for turf on the doorstep of the U.S. narcotics market.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29389404/

I'm sure that 700 is only a teeny tiny fraction of the amount of people involved in the cartels. It's a start but don't be fooled by this. It will be used as propaganda to lure us into believing that our government is serious about getting rid of their definition of criminal illegals and that they are securing the border.

Do the American People need to see this repeated every year? I think this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Hundreds Arrested in Cross-Country Campaign Against Drug Cartel

Wednesday, February 25, 2009
By Mike Levine
FOX News

Federal authorities have 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.

The cartel is being blamed for much of the violence erupting along the U.S.-Mexican border, according to officials familiar with the operation.

U.S. officials said Wednesday that the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and divisions of the Department of Homeland Security have spent two years investigating and arresting people associated with the Sinaloa cartel — which they say has been smuggling drugs, laundering millions of dollars obtained illegally and fueling a wave of violence along the Southern border.

Combating that violence was "the whole point" of the operation, one law enforcement official told FOX News.

"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 released before a press conference in Washington Wednesday afternoon, his first as head of the Justice Department.

"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," as it was dubbed, authorities say they seized more than $59 million in cash, 149 vehicles, three aircraft and three ships used by the cartel.

In terms of drugs, authorities confiscated more than 16,000 pounds of marijuana, 12,000 kilos of cocaine, about 1.3 million Ecstasy pills and significant quantities of other narcotics.

Forty-eight people were arrested Wednesday as part of the operation, according to one law enforcement official.

According to prepared remarks, DEA Acting Administrator Michele M. Leonhart is expected to conclude that "we have disrupted this cartel's domestic operations."

Federal and state narcotics-related charges have been unsealed against associates of the Sinaloa Cartel in California, Minnesota and Maryland.

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.

Through "Operation Xcellerator," U.S. law enforcement officials worked with counterparts in Mexico and Canada, where the Sinaloa Cartel is believed to have "distribution cells," which sell or transport the cartel's drugs.

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.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,500305,00.html

U.S.D.O.J. News Release
February 25, 2009
Contact: Public Affairs Office
Phone Number: 202-514-2007

Hundreds of Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Members and Associates Arrested in Nationwide Takedown of Mexican Drug Traffickers

"Operation Xcellerator" Takes over 20 Tons of Narcotics off America's Streets and Seizes More Than $59 Million in Drug Money

FEB 25 -- WASHINGTON – Today Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., announced the arrest of 48 individuals in California, Minnesota and Maryland, as part of a 21-month multi-agency law enforcement investigation known as “Operation Xcelleratorâ€

DEA Sting Targets Mexican Drug Cartels In U.S.WASHINGTON (AP) ―

A law enforcement official familiar with the sweep said the arrests culminated in a series of Drug Enforcement Administration raids Tuesday night and Wednesday morning around the country. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because authorities were still gathering evidence.

The operation has led to the arrests of 751 individuals and the seizure of $59 million in suspected criminal proceeds, the official said, though it was not immediately clear how many of the arrests came in the overnight raids.

Attorney General Eric Holder plans to announce results of the crackdown at an afternoon news conference in Washington.

Kidnappings, killings and other violence related to the cross-border drug trade have escalated as heavily armed gangs battle for turf on the doorstep of the U.S. narcotics market.

http://kdka.com/politics/mexico.drug.ca ... 43688.html

It made the Reno Gazette Journal:
http://rgj.com/article/20090225/NEWS18/ ... eakingnews

The StarTribune - St. Paul Minnesota:
http://www.startribune.com/nation/40292 ... c:_Yyc:aUU

The Houston Chronicle:
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/chr ... 80468.html

The Chicago Tribune:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/poli ... 2790.story

Oregon Live:
http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/ind ... topstories

The Arizona Star:
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/hourlyupdate/281755.php