Borderland Beat

"They are going after their heads": What is going on in Tijuana?
DEA: "Plea of Chino Antrax Cripples Violent Arm of Sinaloa Cartel", View Plea Agreement
Chilapa Residents Denounce Armed Group Kidnapped 30 People
Another Agent executed in Tijuana.
Two more decapitated heads discovered in TJ

"They are going after their heads": What is going on in Tijuana?

Posted: 22 May 2015 04:58 AM PDT

Borderland Beat

(Tijuano´s note: The following is an article published by AFN Tijuana which provides their version of what is going on right now in Tijuana, I decided to translate and post it here because it could explain the rise in execution in Tijuana in the past weeks, AFN is known in Tijuana, among many things, for having a comment section constantly used for sending threats amongst cartel members, they also have a good grip on whats going on in Tijuana usually having news that others outlets don't publish. I´m sure some readers will not agree with the following and hope to read their comments if they have some info on what´s really going on)

Tijuana, May 21st. 2015.- They call themselves "Nueva Generacion Tijuana"(Tijuana New Generation), they are the heirs of the Arellano Felix brothers, they "work" for those surviving the founders of that cartel, and according to consulted sources they are getting "revenge" for "treason" and doing a "clean up" of those who refuse to abandon "El Aquiles" and his brother "La Rana" and either "pay taxes or leave the business"

According to comments made by AFN´s sources, "revenge" is being taken against Municipal Agents and Agents of the State´s Attorney Office who "jumped ship" and joined the Arzate brothers, meanwhile the "clean up" is targeting drug retail leaders, mainly "galleros and burreros"(mules) from the area of El Murua. It was said that some of the heads found belonged to this people.

This criminal organization-along some alleged Michoacan drug dealers (Tijuano: I´m sure they mean CJNG as Mencho is from Michoacan) first hung a warning banner on April 5th threatening "El Tomate and his people"(Tijuano: Actually it read "La gente del Tomate", which I believe meant Sinaloans in general) while it made clear they would not go after the general public or the authorities. The message was meant for Israel de la Cruz who allegedly worked for the Sinaloa people.

After that there were a couple more banners and a few executions committed without extreme violence, however, in the following weeks the criminal activity grew, as did the written threats which were left, among other ways, written in AFN´s website, one of them read "the worst is just beginning".

Apparently, or so it was said, Municipal Agents and members of the State´s Attorney Office who were working along side the "Tijuana group" changed sides because they "wrongly thought that the family had no power left", this was stated by one of the consulted sources.

Meanwhile, they said, the brothers Alfonso and Rene Arzate Arteaga left Tijuana and are currently in Mexicali where they operate via cell phones with people still loyal to them but who are part of the lower ranks of the organization. They even mentioned that, in order to commit their crimes they hire addicts who get paid with meth doses and "that´s why they fail". One of those consulted claimed "If you saw a direct hit, I mean that the criminals were actually able to kill their target, then it was the Tijuana people, but in the other hand, if they fail, then they are part of Sinaloa".

According to this, the first hit which triggered the fury of the Tijuana group was the execution of Esaul Sahagun Pelayo, who was oficially mentioned as a bodyguard to Luis Manuel Toscano Ramirez aka "El Mono" this past April 9th. "People believed "El Mono" was the shot caller but the truth is his companion was a influential and key element in the local group"

"He was number four inside the structure and the one in charge of the dirty work; under him were the Police Agents working for CAF". Before this, the September 26th, 2014 arrest of Jose Daniel Canales Rodriguez aka "El Ramses", a kidnapper working for the Arellano heirs, had gotten them in the Government´s spotlight.

Canales Rodriguez previously worked for the Forensic Unit of the State Police and quit at the same time he joined CAF; then he got a better job and allegedly was of good use to them because he had a badge and a cop car, however, upon his arrest, it is said he began revealing stuff and "gave them many", which basically means he snitched on them.

In the case of "El Mono", who also worked for CAF, it is believed someone in his family betrayed him, since he had given power to his brother-in-law and cousins and when they jumped to the Arteaga side, then they decided to get rid of whom allegedly had control over Zona Norte in Tijuana.

However, when they killed him, they also killed Esaul, which in return got the Arellano heirs in a war mindset, this deciding to take vengeance for it. After that, anger grew when people allegedly sent by "people of El Akiles and La Rana" tried to execute a former agent called Nidez, killing instead another State Investigator and trainer for the State´s Attorney Office, called Itzel Medina Garibaldi who at the moment was shopping used parts in the Junkyard known as "Shagy" where she arrived in company of Nidez, who ultimately saved his life.

The anger had less to do with the death of the State Investigator and was more related to the fact the killers dared to get inside a place belonging to another person close to the narcotrafficking group led by a former agent known as Nery, accused by his rivals of "gossiping up and down".

In this case, it is said that people working for the Sinaloa drug traffickers decided to kill Nidez, who they blame for the loss of 10 kilograms of crystal meth from a shipment which "had already been bought from the Tijuana people". Asked about this agent, the consulted sources claimed he was a "free agent" in the narco world, because he doesn´t work for anybody in special, but for those who pay the most.

Allegedly, weeks after the arrest of "El Ramses", Municipal Agents where escorting a group of people carrying crystal meth on their way to deliver it when they were suddenly intercepted by State Agents, who were allegedly tipped by Nidez who had alse been tipped by people belonging to the Sinaloa group. A confrontation took place and they notified State Police Operational Chief Juan Manuel Ojeda Sotomayor, who at the same time notified Deputy State Attorney Gilberto Cota Alanis who informed State Attorney Perla del Socorro Ibarra who ordered for all the group to be removed, something which apparently never happened.

The detainee or detainees was/were taken to the Federal Attorney General´s Office where they confessed it wasn´t 15 kilos-as it was reported- but 25 kilos of crystal meth he/they were carrying so he/they believed the agents could have kept the drugs and some versions even mentioned they were already selling it, so the order to kill them was given.

Agent Nidez was then set free and days later another banner was hung, allegedly signed by the deceased agent Itzel Medina in which she reproached Sotomayor and Miguel Velasco, chief of the murder investigation division, of not doing anything to avenge her which "they knew" was ordered by "La Rana" who is working with them.

In regards to the execution of Municipal Agent Juan Jauregui Ruvalcaba this past May 20th when he left his home, it is believed it was ordered by "The people of Tijuana" even thou the Minicipal Public Safety Agency claimed to have arrested the alleged suspect who-unofficially" killed him "for personal reasons".

Anyhow, officially it was claimed the officer died "in the line of duty" and the authority even announced proper honours would be held this Friday. After his murder, mysterious hands hang two banners, one near the area where the execution took place and another one in the Americas bridge-they were promptly removed- they read "That´s going to happen to all those who are with La Rana".

Regarding this Thursday´s case, about the execution in the 5y10 bridge of Public Ministry Agent Omar Fernando Velasquez Hidalgo, they claim it is related to the two heads found inside a cooler this past May 13th, left with a message threatening several people, including "Journalist Ivan Villegas". They claim this message was directed at people working in the newspaper where allegedly Villegas works, they believe so because Velasquez Hidalgo was related to the owner of the newspaper(PRI member Eligio Valencia), there are even pictures showing him in an interview along Eligio Valencia Roque and in a visit to Mexican Congress along plurinominal candidate Eligio Valencia Jr and Villegas himself.

And lastly, regarding those decapitated, they insist the victims are "mules" who have refused to leave the Arteaga group after members of the "Tijuana group" ordered them to "pay taxes to them(Tijuana)" or leave the business.

In recent days, three more human heads have been found, none of which have been identified by authorities. nor there has been an explanation given for the most recent murders.

Original Article in Spanish can be found at AFN TIJUANA.

DEA: "Plea of Chino Antrax Cripples Violent Arm of Sinaloa Cartel", View Plea Agreement

Posted: 21 May 2015 10:57 PM PDT

Lucio R Borderland Beat Material from Court Release DEA Website-additional plea info view J's Post

Plea Agreement:

US v Chino Anthrax Plea-C.martinez

DEA Press Release

Jose Rodrigo Arechiga-Gamboa, also known as "Chino Antrax," pleaded guilty in federal court today. Chino Antrax admitted that as a high-level member of the Mexico-based Sinaloa Cartel he and his co-conspirators coordinated the transportation of tons of cocaine and marijuana into the United States and ordered or participated in cartel-related violence.

In his plea agreement, Arechiga-Gamboa admitted that the Sinaloa Cartel uses violence and threats to intimidate rival cartels, and that he himself was "a direct participant in, and communicated to other members of the Sinaloa Cartel, orders to commit acts of violence or threats of violence." The Sinaloa Cartel operates across multiple continents and countries, importing large quantities of narcotics into Mexico from Asia and Central and South American countries including Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, Panama, Costa Rica, Honduras and Guatemala.

The Sinaloa Cartel moves drugs by land, air, and sea, including cargo aircraft, private aircraft, submarines and other submersible and semi-submersible vessels, container ships, supply vessels, go-fast boats, fishing vessels, buses, rail cars, tractor trailers, trucks, automobiles, and private and commercial interstate and foreign carriers. Those narcotics are then smuggled across the international border to San Diego via automobiles, tractor trailers, trucks, fishing vessels and tunnels and stored at various stash houses, safe houses and warehouses in San Diego County. The narcotics are transported and distributed from there to locations throughout the United States.

"This plea today marks the end of a reign of terror that this particular violent enforcement arm of the Sinaloa Cartel has inflicted on innocent people both in Mexico and the United States," says DEA San Diego Special Agent in Charge William R. Sherman. "Jose Rodrigo Arechiga-Gamboa, aka: Chino Antrax was the head of this violent group under the powerful Sinaloa Cartel. Once again, DEA commits to hunting down the remaining members of this weakening cartel and making sure the public is safe from any more drug related violence."

Arechiga-Gamboa's arrest and guilty plea come in spite of significant efforts by him to elude capture.

Arechiga-Gamboa was arrested on December 30, 2013, at the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands at the request of the United States. Arechiga-Gamboa was taken into custody at the airport traveling under a fraudulent name, "Norberto Sicairos-Garcia," as he deplaned a KLM flight from Mexico City, Mexico to Amsterdam. The United States made formal requests for assistance from foreign authorities via a provisional arrest warrant and an Interpol Red Notice.

A Dutch Court considered the extradition request and, on May 28, 2014, ordered that Arechiga-Gamboa be extradited to the United States to stand trial on the narcotics trafficking offenses. Arechiga-Gamboa was extradited to the United States on July 11, 2014 and arrived at San Diego International airport under heavy security.

The investigation and prosecution of Arechiga-Gamboa was conducted by agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration in San Diego, along with federal law enforcement from numerous other agencies. It was also conducted in close coordination with DEA agents in Chicago and the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois, along with Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection Office of Border Patrol, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Control, Department of Justice, Office of International Affairs, and Interpol.

Chilapa Residents Denounce Armed Group Kidnapped 30 People

Posted: 21 May 2015 08:32 PM PDT

Translated By Valor for Borderland Beat

Residents of Chilapa, Guerrero denounced the disappearances of at least 30 people during the arrival of the hundreds of armed civilians who called themselves "Community Police".

Chilapa has been hit by several violent incidents attributed to organized crime in recent months, among them includes the finding of 10 human heads and other human remains in clandestine graves in January.

On May 1, Ulises Fabián Quiroz, the PRI mayor candidate, was shot to death.

A few days later, around 300 armed masked men entered the community, who identified themselves as "Community Police" and remained there for nearly a week to combat violence caused by the confrontation between organized crime groups. The current mayor, Javier García, opted to leave Chilapa, but returned this weekend.

Today, in a meeting with Fernando Esteban Ramírez, Inspector General of the State Commission for Human Rights (CEDH) of Guerrero, the families claimed that the authorities did nothing against the "kidnappings, threats, and intimidations" by the armed civilians.

Relatives of 16 of the missing persons in recent days denounced their case to the CEDH and stated that the relatives of the other 14 missing have not wanted to complain because of fear, according to local media.

Also, last Friday, relatives of the missing youths also protested outside the Secretariat of Public Security Municipal Office in order to ask for the localization of the missing and to have the presence of the Secretary General of the State Government, David Cienfuegos Salgado.

Last Thursday, the so called "Community Police" made an agreement with the authorities to disarm and withdraw from Chilapa, the Guerrero municipality that they laid siege to on May 9 in order to stop the violence caused by confrontations between Los Rojos and Los Ardillos, two organized crime groups.

During the taking of Chilapa, the Secretary of Public Security, Job Encarnación Cuenca, resigned. The armed civilians coexisted with Mexican soldiers, the state police, and members of the Gendarmerie who were located a few meters away. They patrolled the streets in certain trucks and in trucks belonging to the Municipal Police. They also established four checkpoints at the entrances of the town.

Source: Sin Embargo

Another Agent executed in Tijuana.

Posted: 21 May 2015 06:27 PM PDT

Borderland Beat

Public executions continue in Tijuana, a man identified as Omar Vasquez Hidalgo was executed today in the "5y10" bridge when he was driving a late model red BMW. AFN is reporting Vasquez Hidalgo currently served as Agent of the Public Ministry assigned to a court house in Tijuana.

According to witness reports Vasquez Hidalgo was shot 7 times with a 9mm handgun fired from a white Astro Van which was quickly abandoned a few blocks away.

Vasquez Hidalgo is the sixth victim in the last 24 hours, the others being a man executed in Pedregal de Santa Julia, another in La Presa district, one more in the Rosarito-Tijuana road and the two heads found this morning at the Playas De Tijuana access.

Ivan Villegas, Jesus Jimenez, Eligio Valencia Jr. and Omar Vasquez at the Mexican Congress.

ADDITIONAL INFO

The name Omar Vasquez Hidalgo is the same name of a former Ministerial Agent from Baja California who had previously been arrested and shown to the media as a member of the Arellano Felix Cartel under the nickname of "La Barby".

Back in 2009, Vasquez Hidalgo was arrested by the State Preventive Police and shown to the media as a high ranking member of the Arellano Felix Cartel with ties to former CAF lieutenants "El Quemado", "El Nalgon Villarreal", "El Ciego" and a kidnapper ring led by a guy nicknamed "El Software" which also worked doing kidnappings of rivals for Fernando Sanchez Arellano aka "El Ingeniero" back in those days.

Vasquez Hidalgo, however, was quickly set free as he was only charged with possession of a dose of Cocaine and the Federal Court allowed him to get out under bail.

At that time, Vasquez Hidalgo worked as a "trust employee" on the Tijuana Local Government and it was known he was recommended by PRI council member Eligio Valencia on the Hank Rhon administration.

As of right now the available info points to both being the same guy, both "La Barby" arrested in 2009 and Omar Vasquez Hidalgo, executed today.

SOURCE AFN Tijuana

Two more decapitated heads discovered in TJ

Posted: 21 May 2015 12:46 PM PDT

Lucio R Borderland Beat republished from AFN

Two more human heads were discovered this morning at the entrance to the Playas de Tijuana subdivision, and they have not been identified.

According to the preliminary data, municipal police received a report around 7AM this Thursday, which said there were two "suspicious" plastic bags lying in the street in colonia Loa Laureles.

Municipal police when to the area, where they found the two bags, one black and one white, which each contained a human head.

This is the third discovery of mutilated persons being dumped in the public streets of this city in less than one month.