BREAKING NEWS
Mexican Drug cartels terror reaches deep into the U.S.
By Michael Webster: Investigative Reporter June 5, 2008 11:00 a.m. PDT

Mexican drug cartel gangs and their surrogates as many feared are committing crimes against Americans on the U.S. side of the border. Until recently it was believed by U.S. law enforcement that these gangs limited their terror to Mexican citizens in Mexico and other Latin American countries. These ruthless drug gangs are now reported to be robbing, torturing, kidnapping, and threatening Americans at an alarming rate.

These gang members are known to be attacking Americans all over the states. Recently it came to light that a gang operation of this type was uncovered operating on the east coast from New York to Florida. This Queens-based robbery crew used fake police badges, vehicles that resembled police cars with fake police lights and sirens and would pull over and rob drug couriers all up and down the East Coast, federal investigators said. Similar tactics are being used in Mexico’s violence. Police say this type of crime is happening on both sides of the U.S Mexican border.

· Read Indictment: http://www.wnbc.com/download/2008/0506/16180287.pdf

· Read Detention Letter: http://www.wnbc.com/download/2008/0506/16180316.pdf

The drug dealing gangs watch known drug dealing competitors and would pull them over and steel their drugs and money. Often to get to higher-ups, they would torture their victims to give up there bigger drug connections and the gang would then go rob them and repeat the scenario till they reached the bigger drug dealers then put them out of business and sell the stolen drugs back on the streets at full profits.

U.S. Attorney Benton Campbell said the suspects would conduct surveillance on their victims for weeks at a time. Then the crew would allegedly use fake lights and sirens to pull over the victims' cars and kidnap those inside.

If drugs or cash were not in the car, prosecutors said the suspects would kidnap and torture the drivers to tell them where the drugs, cash and other drug dealers where. Many times their prey where not drug dealers and were innocent victims.

Investigators said the suspects used terrorist tactics of simulated drowning techniques (water bordering) as well as pliers applied to the male victim’s genitals to learn where and when millions in cash and drugs shipments were being made.

Police said they recovered 20 guns in their raids. The suspects allegedly stole more than $20 million in drugs and $4 million in cash. The stolen drugs were then resold on the streets of New York, prosecutors said.

Agents said the Queens-based ring traveled from Massachusetts to Florida to carry out the robberies.

U.S. Drug Enforcement agents worked with local law enforcement all up and down the eastern seaboard along with New York State Police developing this case. As a result NYPD officers made eight arrests. The suspects allegedly helped run the "police impersonation" ring that kidnapped and tortured more than 100 known Americans and how many more victims there where is really unknown because many of the crimes where criminals on criminals and went un-reported to authorities according to an undercover DEA agent who wants to remain anonymous.

Among those charged were Acosta De Vargas, who police said has past arrests for heroin dealing; Jose Castro, who allegedly helped organize the kidnappings; Gabriel Pabon, who police said has past gun arrests; and Javier Rivera, who faced deportation to the Dominican Republic on an earlier offense.

DEA officials said this is becoming wide spread across America and that more cases are being worked and more arrests are expected in the weeks and months ahead.

Eight of the suspects pleaded not guilty when they were arraigned Tuesday afternoon. They were ordered held without bail. Click on and play: http://video.wnbc.com/player/?id=248762 for related articles on the war on drugs and terror click on or Google www.lagunajournal.com

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