Five tons of drugs seized in blow against cartel

Military detains 17 people in Tijuana, Mexicali

Por: Omar Millán 15 Junio 2011 @ 7:05 am
Tamaño: Aumentar Tamaño de Letra Disminuir Tamaño de Letra

The Mexican army on Tuesday displayed 600 packages of drugs worth $15 million at the Morelos base in Tijuana. File Photo

Tijuana – The commander of Baja California’s Second Military zone, Gen. Gilberto Landeros, announced Tuesday the seizure of illegal drugs worth more than $15 million, which he called a major blow to the Sinaloa cartel.

The two dozen reporters at his press conference, however, were more interested in what he had to say about Jorge Hank Rhon, whose house he ordered searched on June 4.

Federal authorities said the military conducted the search after three men who had been detained said an arsenal could be found at that house. The search turned up 88 weapons and nearly 10,000 live rounds and Hank Rhon and eight others were detained.

That’s why, a few hours after a judge ordered them released for insufficient evidence, casting doubt on these types of military operations and the anonymous tips that often lead to them, the questions about the case hung in the air as well as the smell of marijuana emanating from the more than 600 packages displayed at the Morelos base.

Landeros, however, avoided questions on the subject, saying he did not want to interfere with the continuing investigations.

He did, however, appear to be sending an indirect message when he said, “The success of military operations in the fight against organized crime and drug trafficking is the result of the fundamental cooperation of the citizenry through its anonymous complaints that leads to a greater confidence in the Mexican army and Mexican air force.

“We will continue to respond to anonymous tips with energy and care. We will go where we are called to go. We analyze the information and we proceed based on the law,â€