Thread: DRUG TRAFFICKING NO. 1 ISSUE FOR GANG TASK FORCE

Drug trafficking No.1 issue for gang task force

By: WILLIAM FINN BENNETT - Staff Writer
February 11, 2007

NORTH COUNTY ---- Drug trafficking by street gangs continues to be the No.1 issue facing the North County Regional Gang Task Force as it fights to limit the activities of gangs, a spokesman for the agency said last week.

"Drugs are where the money is ---- that is what they are involved in and that is what we are focused on," said the task force's Lt. Derek Clark.

The unit, which has 24 field agents, is made up of law enforcement specialists from local, state and federal police agencies, including the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.


More than 20 documented street gangs are operating across North County, from Escondido to Encinitas, with hundreds of members. Several of those gangs are involved in drug sales of everything from methamphetamine, marijuana and cocaine, to ecstasy and steroids, according to task force officials.

While gang violence has dropped in recent years, the recent slaying of an Oceanside police officer, allegedly by a gang member, has drawn public attention back to the problem of street gangs.

Oceanside now has four injunctions in place, covering three Latino gangs.

The injunctions prohibit gang members from participating in certain activities within certain parts of a city. Typically, those activities include such things as hanging out with known gang members, possessing guns, fighting, graffiti, making gang hand signals and wearing certain types of clothing.

Meth plays key role

Over the last 10 or 15 years, gangs have gotten more and more involved in all aspects of drug trafficking, Clark said, from smuggling the drugs into the country from Mexico and distribution to street dealers, to sales at the street level, he said.

"It's a complete criminal enterprise," Clark said.

Most of the drug smuggling incidents and drug sales involve methamphetamine, he said. In 2006, for example, task force agents seized more than 28 pounds of the drug in gang-related investigations.

Clark said that in decades past, most of the methamphetamine sold in this area was produced locally. But after law enforcement began busting more meth laboratories in Southern California, criminal enterprises responded by shifting production to Mexico, Clark said.

At that point, street gangs began smuggling the drugs from across the border, he said.

In some cases, illegal immigrants who make up part of the membership of some gangs are making the connections needed across the border, Clark said. In other cases gang members who are U.S. citizens make the contacts in Mexico, he added.

"There is definitely a gang connection south of the border," he said. "The street gangs are actively involved in narcotics transportation and have direct contact with the cartels."

Serge Duarte, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's deputy special agent in charge in the San Diego area, said Friday that his agency has two full-time agents and two part-time agents working with the gang task force in North County.

Duarte said that one particularly dramatic gang-related drug case occurred in 2005, when 250 local, state and federal agents raided homes across North County. Of the 33 defendants, 10 suspects were identified as Encinitas street gang members.

The operation allegedly smuggled marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine across the U.S. border with Mexico, then shipped the illegal drugs across the nation. Federal hearings are scheduled in at least one of those cases in April.

Gangs plague local cities

Based on figures provided to the North County Times by police departments, the task force and Sheriff's Department, North County has 21 gangs and more than 1,500 documented gang members active in Oceanside, Escondido, San Marcos, Carlsbad, Vista, Encinitas and Solana Beach.

Most gangs fall along ethnic lines, and authorities say that Latino gangs are predominant in North County.

The gangs in North County, according to these authorities, are:

- In Oceanside ---- 12 documented street gangs with roughly 621 members. Five of the gangs are black, three are Latino, one is Samoan, another predominantly Samoan, one is white and another is white and Latino. Some of those gangs also are active in Vista.

- In Escondido ---- three documented street gangs, all predominantly Latino, with just over 300 members.

- In San Marcos ---- two documented, predominantly Latino gangs with about 224 members.

- In Carlsbad ---- one documented Latino gang with about 100 members.

- In Vista ---- one Latino gang with about 270 members.

- In Encinitas ---- one documented, predominantly Latino street gang with about 20 members.

- In Solana Beach ---- one documented, predominantly Latino street gang with about 20 members.

Illegal immigrants in the mix

In addition to drug sales, another characteristic of gang life in North County appears to be the significant number of illegal immigrants who are gang members or gang associates, customs and immigration officials said.

They estimate that countywide, illegal immigrants make up about 20 percent of all gang members.

"In North County, the vast majority of gangs are Hispanic, so the percentage may be a little higher there," said Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Duarte.

In 2006, task force members arrested 510 people on suspected violations of U.S. immigration laws. About 80 percent of those arrests were gang-related, task force Detective Barry Sweeny said last week.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Lauren Mack said Friday that her agency arrested about 130 "hard core" gang members on immigration violations in North County in 2006 and has arrested another 30 since Jan. 1.

A lot of gangs have ties to the Mexican mafia, said Sheriff's Department's Sgt. Gary Floyd, who supervises the street narcotic and gang detail out of the San Marcos Station.

"And the mafia wants money coming their way from here," Floyd said.

The mafia connection usually comes through older gang members who have been in prison, where they make those contacts, he said. Once the connections are made, it can lead to drug smuggling from Mexico, he said.

They'll "cross the border, get the loads and bring them back up here," Floyd said. "It's all coming back up here through the involvement of local gang members."

He said that between June 2005 and January 2006, sheriff's deputies and task force members arrested over 120 people during gang suppression operations in San Marcos, and of those, 80 were arrested on immigration violations and had criminal records.
"A significant number were documented gang members or associates," Floyd said.

Clark said the money from drug trafficking is having an interesting effect.

"They are not fighting one another, because there is money involved," Clark said. "It's like any other business ---- if the money is there, then they will deal with one another," Clark said.

Contact staff writer William Finn Bennett at (760) 740-5426, or wbennett@nctimes.com.

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Comments On This Story

If drugs is the problem shut down the border. If gangs are 20% illegals deport all illegals and secure the borders. then the task force will only have to deal with 80% of the number that they are having to deal with. Securing the border by building a real fence will make it harder for drug smugglers to get the drugs across the border. I didn't say stop it but it will become harder and agents will have a better chance of catching the smugglers.

Boy, it's a good thing they aren't also racist and haters. I mean these gangs love their brothers no matter what color they are. No hate crimes here. Cause we know if there were that the MSM, all the racial watchdogs and our trustworthy public officials would be the first to point it out and warn the general public. We'd have 20/20 specials and Paula Zahn would be all over it. They may be murderers and drug smugglers/runners. They may be intimidators and neighborhood thugs but they are not HATERS.

Comments On This Story

Note: Comments reflect the views of readers and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff.

Pat wrote on February 11, 2007 7:29 AM:"And where are the drugs coming from? Our open border."

Beckyal wrote on February 11, 2007 7:53 AM:"If drugs is the problem shut down the border. If gangs are 20% illegals deport all illegals and secure the borders. then the task force will only have to deal with 80% of the number that they are having to deal with. Securing the border by building a real fence will make it harder for drug smugglers to get the drugs across the border. I didn't say stop it but it will become harder and agents will have a better chance of catching the smugglers."

Ingrid wrote on February 11, 2007 7:54 AM:"Sure, most illegal Immigrants just want a better life (at our expense), but what about all of the drugs, gangs, and violence that also crosses our border on a daily basis?"

Idea wrote on February 11, 2007 8:43 AM:"Note to ACLU: Please think again who you should represent!"

I will believe that our government wrote on February 11, 2007 9:26 AM:"is SERIOUS about stopping drug traffic when they quit arresting and prosecuting border patrol agents and putting them in jail. NOW they are admitting in homeland security that they LIED about these two border agents."

Robert wrote on February 11, 2007 10:35 AM:"The number one reason for closing the borders. Most all of the illegal drugs in our cities and schools are coming from through Mexico."

Hey NCT wrote on February 11, 2007 10:37 AM:"There should be over one hundred comments on this story by now. What gives? People are not stupid. They can make the connection between Open Borders, Illegal Aliens, gangs, and drugs in our society. If you cannot deal with that then you should not have published the story."

Add Your Comments or Letter to the Editor

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/02 ... ogcomments

Comments On This Story

Note: Comments reflect the views of readers and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff.

Are you surprised? wrote on February 11, 2007 12:20 AM:"And society keeps condoning this type of behavior by not enforcing ALL our laws. I keep hearing that they're only here to better their lives .... yea right. I never hear any of the (Hispanic) activist groups ever address the lawlessness that goes on. Wonder why?"

anotherview wrote on February 11, 2007 12:49 AM:"This story highlights the substantial involvement of criminal illegal aliens in the social evil of criminal street gangs. America can free itself of criminal illegal aliens, who account for 1 in 20 illegal aliens, but the federal government must devote more resources to the ongoing ICE national sweep for criminal illegal aliens. At its current pace, this national sweep will take over three decades to cleanse America of criminal illegal aliens. In a related effort, America can free itself of illegal aliens. Again, the federal government must play a role. Thus, the U. S. Congress and the President acting together for the national good must enact a law, with teeth, prohibiting employers from hiring illegal aliens. Further, under the REAL ID law, the federal government must mandate that employers require workers and job applicants to show their national ID to prove a legal right to work. Finally, the U. S. Congress must say no to amnesty for illegal aliens. Without the prospect of either a job or an amnesty, the illegal aliens will tend to self-deport (at their own expense), and the foreign nationals will tend not to migrate illegally to America. Employers will adjust to the absence of a pool of illegal alien workers, by introducing efficiencies and mechanization and by offering better pay, benefits, and working conditions to attract Americans to do the jobs illegal aliens now do. Jobs will open for Americans. In turn, the host of negative social, economic, and political impacts fostered by the presence of illegal aliens will moderate. America can get along fine without illegal aliens, and will prosper all the more."

Skip wrote on February 11, 2007 12:52 AM:"So why isn't the fence built and the border secured. Everything in this story is what I have been saying all along. We must secure our borders!"

KEY WORDS wrote on February 11, 2007 1:04 AM:"Latino Gangs, Illegal Aliens, Cross Border Smuggling, and Mexican Mafia. That is just for starters. Most of the methamphetamine is now manufactured in Mexico. There has never been a stronger argument to seal our borders. These drugs are going to our schools, and other people who are using them are driving under the influence and committing crimes. WE MUST SECURE OUR BORDERS! "

"Drug trafficking and Mexico" wrote on February 11, 2007 1:06 AM:"It's not just Illegal Aliens. Got Drugs?"

Syl wrote on February 11, 2007 1:07 AM:"Before anyone gets excited about that one white gang listed, they only have 5 members. LOL"

DO IT FOR THE CHILDREN wrote on February 11, 2007 1:22 AM:"What not a better reason to secure our Borders. All of the progress we have made as a nation in eradicating disease, poverty, and drugs, is now being undone, by unscreened Illegal Aliens crossing our borders daily. Last night another 6,000 Illegal Aliens crossed our Southern Borders."

Skip wrote on February 11, 2007 1:48 AM:"I predict this story will go to Number 1 on the "Most Commented Stories Of The Week". It's got everything Gangs, Illegal Aliens, and Drugs, and it ties them all together."

Skip wrote on February 11, 2007 1:57 AM:"Los Angeles: They tell us how wonderful mass immigration is on one day and the next day they tell us how the city that has received the most immigrants, is about to be overrun by gangs. It never crosses their mind that there might be a connection. The minutemen have been outstanding in their attempts to wake up the American public and show how little our government is really doing to protect our borders and control illegal immigration. We are not getting the best and brightest immigrants; we are getting the poor, uneducated, and most desperate illegal aliens who will then make up a slave class of people, who are a financial burden on society. Yes we may get dishwashers, agricultural pickers, and leaf blowers, but at what cost. Gangs, crime, diseases, and insecurity."

Pat wrote on February 11, 2007 7:29 AM:"And where are the drugs coming from? Our open border."

Beckyal wrote on February 11, 2007 7:53 AM:"If drugs is the problem shut down the border. If gangs are 20% illegals deport all illegals and secure the borders. then the task force will only have to deal with 80% of the number that they are having to deal with. Securing the border by building a real fence will make it harder for drug smugglers to get the drugs across the border. I didn't say stop it but it will become harder and agents will have a better chance of catching the smugglers."

Ingrid wrote on February 11, 2007 7:54 AM:"Sure, most illegal Immigrants just want a better life (at our expense), but what about all of the drugs, gangs, and violence that also crosses our border on a daily basis?"

blm wrote on February 11, 2007 8:07 AM:"Hmmm...The more money we spend to suppress drugs, the more the blackmarket risk increases, the more the gangs can charge for drugs, and then more money can be made by the gangs. Therefore, there is a direct tie between increasing money spent on the war on drugs and the increasing income of gangs, which will of course increase the gang membership. What if we redirected the war on drug money to education/rehab support for drug users to reduce the demand for drugs; then regulate, tax, and distribute the drugs the gangs are selling, and let people take responsibility for their own lives if they continue to abuse drugs. The blackmarket then evaporates and the gangs lose lucrative marketing and recruiting opportunities. After many years of our current methods, we have demonstrated by now that the war on drugs clearly can't protect individuals who are determined to obtain and abuse drugs, and now we see that it is actually causing the very thing we wish to eliminate. Let's try something else."

Idea wrote on February 11, 2007 8:43 AM:"Note to ACLU: Please think again who you should represent!"

I will believe that our government wrote on February 11, 2007 9:26 AM:"is SERIOUS about stopping drug traffic when they quit arresting and prosecuting border patrol agents and putting them in jail. NOW they are admitting in homeland security that they LIED about these two border agents."

Robert wrote on February 11, 2007 10:35 AM:"The number one reason for closing the borders. Most all of the illegal drugs in our cities and schools are coming from through Mexico."

Hey NCT wrote on February 11, 2007 10:37 AM:"There should be over one hundred comments on this story by now. What gives? People are not stupid. They can make the connection between Open Borders, Illegal Aliens, gangs, and drugs in our society. If you cannot deal with that then you should not have published the story."

Ingrid wrote on February 11, 2007 10:38 AM:"Meanwhile two Border Agents sit in Prison, for doing their job and going after a drug mule."

AlturaCt wrote on February 11, 2007 10:41 AM:"Boy, it's a good thing they aren't also racist and haters. I mean these gangs love their brothers no matter what color they are. No hate crimes here. Cause we know if there were that the MSM, all the racial watchdogs and our trustworthy public officials would be the first to point it out and warn the general public. We'd have 20/20 specials and Paula Zahn would be all over it. They may be murderers and drug smugglers/runners. They may be intimidators and neighborhood thugs but they are not HATERS."


http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/02 ... ogcomments

Comments On This Story

Finally a Story based On Fact wrote on February 11, 2007 10:49 AM:"I know who did not write this story. This story is great for the print edition of the NCT because it is based on reality, and people do not need web comments to see the other side."

Did You Know? wrote on February 11, 2007 11:06 AM:"Some of the anti-Illegal Immigration websites had to shut down their cameras on the border, due to threats from the drug cartels."

It's Simple. wrote on February 11, 2007 11:27 AM:"Law Enforcement has 1555 Documented Gang Members. Lock them up. It will be cheaper than the costs they are costing us, now."

FACT wrote on February 11, 2007 11:33 AM:"If you are high on methamphetamine, PCP, Crank, Heroin, or other hardcore drugs, and you are resisting arrest, and fighting with the police, your chances of survival have been greatly reduced. Now if only El Grupo and other activists groups would comprehend this and make the connection, then we could move on to more constructive solutions for the gang and drug problems."

Gary in Murrieta wrote on February 11, 2007 11:34 AM:"Neither US Border Patrol Agents nor US National Guard troops are allowed to protect the US-Mexico border region. Border Patrol Agents are prosecuted for doing their jobs and National Guard troops are not allowed to use their weapons against Mexican gunmen who cross our border illegally. Many people have and are speculating that it is the trilateral Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP) that has taken precedence and authority over US sovereignty."

SOSADFORUS wrote on February 11, 2007 11:36 AM:"I kind of wonder if this is why are government is affraid of enforceing our laws, I think they are affraid of an all out war between Mexican citizens and U.S. citizens, and I think they believe these people, when they say we are not going back!!I also think some people in our government were just as suprised as the rest of us when the marches took place in may, and saw just how gigantic the problem really is! They have become very brazen!!"

Sandy wrote on February 11, 2007 12:01 PM:"Up to a third of all inmates in California prisons are Illegal Aliens. The mexican mafia in the prisons is responsible for most of the violence, and most of that violence is directed towards blacks. The mexican mafia in prisons align themselves with whte, but that does not make whites any safer. SOURCE FBI WEBSITE : http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/mafia_mexican.htm"

Bobbyblue wrote on February 11, 2007 12:42 PM:"Ask your Local Politician how many miles of the proposed 700 mile fence have been completed? They have started haven't they?"

Border Lover wrote on February 11, 2007 3:05 PM:"Agree to disagree. What Americans have, everyone else wants. The govt should know they can not control ANYBODY!!! If prohibition didnt couldnt, gaming laws dont work, how do they expect to control anyone???"

MikeinEscondido wrote on February 11, 2007 4:39 PM:"It is only about the money. As long as local governments can seize assets of drug offenders, then the local governments will only prosecute what (to them) is a financial opportunity. These gangs cause terrible suffering but the local governments only get serious when there are assets to be siezed. "

Do You Want Cheap Illegal Drugs wrote on February 11, 2007 5:24 PM:"Then do nothing about our open Borders. The cheaper and more plentiful the drugs are the more apt you children will try or use them. Just like high price cigarettes discourages smoking among young people so dose high price drugs. All of the progress America has made towards the illegal drug trade is being undone by gangs with ties to Mexico. That is why I do not understand why President Bush allows our borders to be so uncontrolled."

Mike in SD wrote on February 11, 2007 5:30 PM:"It is one thing to feel sorry for Illegal immigrants crossing our borders. But if they can get across, then so can Criminals, Gang Members, drugs, and weapons of mass destruction. If drug mules can bring across the border hundreds of pounds of drugs without detection, then a terrorist can bring across any assortment of weapons also. Americans are fooling themselves if they think that there are not people in Mexico who will not do anything for money. Just because we do not know if it has happened does not mean it hasn't or it won't."

Dan (Temecula) wrote on February 11, 2007 6:11 PM:" Thats right. Almost all illegal immigrants are here to make a better life for themselves, as well as there families. To do jobs most Americans won't. What a joke. On top of the laws they break just to get here they also MAJORLY CONTRIBUTE TOO AMERICA'S #1 PROBLEM. DRUGS, AND GANGS!!!! I have an idea lets give them amnesty. Then I will donate half of my pay, and then maybe they will stop bringing drugs, hate, murder, gangs ect....... ALL OF YOU ILLEGAL ALIEN SUPPORTERS ARE A JOKE. ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE THE TRUE RUIN OF ARE GREAT COUNTRY. NOT TO MENTION THAT ILLEGALS, AND MEXICAN CITIZENS (NOT AMERICAN CITIZENS) WILL DO ANYTHING FOR MONEY INCLUDING HELPING TERRORIST WITH THERE AGENDAS. GOD BLESS AMERICA, AND GOD HELP US TOO!!!!!"

Parents wrote on February 11, 2007 6:20 PM:"Ask your kids how easy it is to get illegal drugs in their public schools, and then ask yourselves why we are letting in so many Illegal Aliens sneak into this country, and why our government is not controlling our Borders. Personally I think our border with Mexico is much more dangerous to our country’s safety the Iraq ever was."

Add Your Comments or Letter to the Editor

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TRAFFIC : See This Movie wrote on February 11, 2007 6:59 PM:"A patchwork of stories about various factions of the drug trade, including dealers, abusers and the law enforcement officials who pursue them. The movie is set in San Diego and won four academy awards and a nomination for best picture. Parents should know that the movie has everything that triggers an R rating: violence (including the death of major characters, murder, torture, and a teenage overdose), explicit sex (including the judge's daughter trading sex for drugs), and strong language. Characters betray each other and there are intense family scenes. However, this is at its heart a morality tale, and all of the R-rated material is in the service of the overall anti-drug message. "