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| From Stratfor |
Zeta Magazine
Edicion 1927
Policias protegen a narcomenudistas
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Ok let's zoom in a little closer.....
San Luis Colorado is 42 miles from Mexicali. According to the 01/30/2013 Mexcio Security Memo from Stratfor, "A series of executions in northern Sonora state near the U.S. border.. high continuing organized crime-related conflicts in the region. On Jan.26, a body was hung from a bridge in Agua Prieta. On Jan. 28, authorities discovered three bodies and two rifles in a vehicle in Cananea. The same in Nogales, unidentified gunmen killed three individuals in two separate instances. The quick succession of these incidents follows the pattern of increased violence that began in northern Sonora state in mid-2012, although violence is still lower in Sonora that in other parts of Mexico. The slightest escalation of violence in northern Sonora state indicates challenges to the Sinaloa Federation's hegemony over trafficking in the region."
We have seen past Army reports of small aircraft flying into the region of Mexicali from Sonora with narcotics belonging to the Sinaloa cartel, and of course grenades and other weapons coming into Mexicali from the United States believed to be headed south - and although it was never made entirely clear if these were supposed to be flown over to Sonora using the same drug flight paths, or be transported down Baja California - it seems more likely that the mode of transportation would be light aircraft. (but it is also feasible that some of these weapons and grenades could have been loaded on a boat at San Felipe) So, already we can see a clear link between Mexicali and Sonora. One question would be how many drugs are conveyed to Mexicali, and is it all mota? Milenio reported on 02/01/2013 that the Mexican Army seized over half a ton of cocaine and four kilos of heroin while inspecting a truck in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, the driver was detained: (google in title if link doesn't come up)
Milenio
Asegura Sedena 572 kilos de cocaina en Sonora
TEXT
Is anyone out there wondering if some of this was bound for Mexicali?
Meanwhile, Mexicali has been experiencing more executions and other organized criminal activities:
- A person's skull found floating in a drain, Ejido Villa Zapata:
El Mexicano
Hallan osumenta en el Valle de Mexicali
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- On State Hwy.8 between Merida and Ejido Morelos an encobijado found, hands and feet bound, plastic bag over head. El Mexicano notes this is the fourth execution since last Monday in Mexicali when three bodies were found:
El Mexicano
Otro ejecutado en el Valle
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- Five migrants who had been kidnapped by a group of traffickers managed to escape after being held for several days. Just a comment that we haven't been receiving migrant kidnapping cases lately, this is the first one this year, it happened in Mexicali and there have been no arrests:
El Mexicano
Rescutan cinco migrantes, escapan de sus captores
TEXT
Second and third questions of the day, who or what groups are possibly challenging the Sinaloa Federation's hegemony over trafficking in the region and are these executions in Mexicali part of that challenge?
UPDATE/EDIT 02/05: Regarding the PEMEX explosion which the Mexican authorities are now saying was due to an accumulation of gas and not an attack, you might want to read the opinions of how this crisis was managed, the investigation continues. BTW, when someone commented here on the last blog that the explosion was due to "swamp gas", I interpreted that comment as a slur against the Mexican people, someone trying to make trouble. Still, not everyone is satisfied with the results of the government inquiry and many questions remained unanswered:
Animal Politico
El Palenque
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UPDATES:
02/05:
- AFN is reporting a shoot out early this afternoon between PEPOS and suspect(s) on calle Azatfrain (El Florido - 4th Seccion). Authorities have not released a statement yet or the name of the slain officer., but AFN acquired two versions from witnesses on the scene: The first version indicates that police were responding to an anonymous complaint on calle Azatfran when they were attacked by two people with rifles. During this exchange of gunfire, the one PEPO officer was killed. It is unclear if at least one of the suspects escaped. It is unclear if this version is correct, however if it is then this would be a set up to attack the police.The second version is that the PEPO agent was reviewing a subject, when the officer was distracted the subject took the officers weapon and shot him. The subject then fled into a house where authorities caught and shot him, he is also dead. Watch the links on this one as more information becomes available: - many pics here, you can see the Mexican Army arrived as back up:
AFN
Muere policia en enfrentamiento
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- Frontera reports this evening that the PEPOS fought a gunbattle with armed men resulting in the death of the one agent and one of the criminals. The agent's name has not been released, originally he was from Ensenada. Perhaps more information tomorrow; pic shows police mobilization in the area :
Frontera
Mueren a agente de la PEP y agresor en tiroteo
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| From Frontera |
- A narco-tunnel located by the Mexican Army responding to suspicious activity in Otay close to the International Border. At least fifteen people were arrested at the scene (Frontera states there were 17) and several packages of mota seized, weight not released by the authorities. The tunnel is 300 meters in length (not yet crossing the border), 1.20 meters X 80 centimeters wide, and 10 meters in depth. It is equipped with artificial lighting, a ventilation system and a hydraulic system and guide rails, as used in mines:
AFN
Localiza Ejercito "narco-tunel" en Otay
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- Antonio Heras reporting another execution in Mexicali, this time in a commercial establishment located in colonia Industrial; one man shot four times in the head by two hitmen who vanished in their vehicle headed towards the border. Initially this was thought to be a robbery, but since no money was taken from the register, it is believed this was an attack:
AFN
Asesinan a un hombre en Mexicali
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02/04 working back:
- Rosarito Beach: Yesterday the body of a man found inside of an abandoned van which had been towed from the Rosarito Beach Zona Centro and was being stored at a local Yonque. It was wrapped in plastic, hands and feet tied and covered with a blanket:
Frontera
Encuentan cadaver dentro de vehiculo en yonque
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- On Sunday night in colonia Ejido Maclovio Rojas one man stabbed fifty times during a house robbery, six men were arrested for this crime - no info on if they belonged to a particular drug cell:
AFN
Detienen a seis por homicidio
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- In colonia Pedregal de Santa Julia ex police officer Juan Francisco Garcia Peralta shot eighteen times, later dying en route to the Hospital. AFN reports that Garcia Peralta served over ten years on the Tijuana police force, he had been arrested in May 2002 for trafficking at the San Ysidro POE:
AFN
Ejecutan a un ex policia
TEXT
- In Cerro Colorado one man shot dead by two gunmen as he was sleeping; authorities are calling this a settling of drug accounts:
AFN
Ejecutan a hombre en su cama
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- Frontera sums up the past weekend, adding a body located on Blvd 2000 between Rosarito and Tijuana and one man shot three times in colonia Cumbres de Flores Magon:
Frontera
Matan a 3 en fin de semana en TJ
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- In colonia Canadas del Florido the body of a 70 year old man found inside of his home, killed by head blows:
Frontera
Hallan anciano sin vida con golpes en la cabeza
TEXT
Many arrests in the region however it is not mentioned in any of the reports which drug cells these people might belong to, no mention of the CAF or arrests of Barrio Logan members:
- Four men arrested in Rosarito Beach by the Anti-kidnapping Unit allegedly linked to the kidnapping events on 01/29 which included a US citizen, still unnamed:
AFN
Consignan a plagiarios de jubilado
TEXT
- In a matter of 36 hours, Tijuana Municipal Police arrest twenty six people for possession of firearms, no reports of which drug cell group these people might have belonged to:
Frontera
Caen 26 personas por posesion de armas
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- Over last weekend, more than three hundred people arrested in Ensenada, thirty seven of them minors, no mention if any of these people belonged to a specific drug cell group:
El Vigia de Ensenada
Arresta Policia a mas de 300
TEXT
Here are the links for all of the news, I'll be back in a few days:
Animal Politico
TEXT
Zeta Tijuana - check out the report on drugs in Ensenada
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AFN
TEXT
Frontera
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Lindero Norte
TEXT
Tijuana Press
TEXT
El Vigia de Ensenada
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El Mexicano
TEXT
Ensenada.net
TEXT
Justice in Mexico
TEXT
~
7 comments:
Thanks for the info Marge. It's a lot to digest and too close for comfort. The first thing that struck me was how far away from us I had thought this was happening until you look at a map. If there is a battle for the plaza I hope they do it differently this time around and keep it out of sight and away from the tourist zones. They can make their money and go about their business without terrorizing their own people and scaring away tourists and investors.
The American kidnapped in Rosarito last week must have been a relatively innocent victim or they'd be badmouthing him in the press by now. Still nothing in the NOB press that I have found. Still nothing definitive on the PeMex blast in Mexico City so the bomb and conspiracy theories abound.
Well it is close and it is all related. Beltran Levy perhaps? Who knows.
Well whooosh - the authorities are very firm that it was a gas explosion, that will never change I don't think. Too much at stake. When Stratfor was speculating that it might have been was a bomb, they were pointing the finger at those who do not want PEMEX privitized - but not for "National Patriotic" reasons as one might think... according to Stratfor it would be for financial reasons - that these people who are currently in control have deep pockets. They also dismissed the drug guys as possibly being the attackers, which surprised me. And, there was no mention of extreme leftist groups - so yes a lot at stake, don't want to scare off the investors....a fragile situation.
I think there is a lot of disinformation out there coming from all sides.
How did that saying go...it's a mystery, wrapped in...
TEXT
?
I'm still trying to piece together the events surrounding the kidnpapped American. It would be usefull information to know how these kidnappings go down. In this case, I think the 59 year old American fell in love with a beautiful Mexican girl half his age, got dumped and in the process became a target because he became well known down there.
Fortunately, "El Osby" (21), Obrayan 20, "El Father" (23) and "El Lupillo" (26) are now wandering the yard at La Mesa Penitentiary searching for filthy blankets to keep warm with and a fifth suspect is soon to join them if the special kidnapping squad can catch up to him. My bet is that he is long gone.
Maybe the kidnapping went down as follows:
The 59 year old retired American and his 26 year old former brother in law were probably abducted at the same time and held in that house in the playas of Rosarito.
At some point the Kidnapper's leader, El Lupillo directs Obrayan and El Father to load the American into the Montero and take him to another safe house. El Osby is given a .22 rifle and told to guard the former brother in law while the other two are off transporting the American.
One commenter said that El Osby is a "good boy" and that he was effectively pressured into taking part. I noticed that El Osby didn't look as hardened as the other three and maybe he was only standing in for a while and not really part of it, hence the .22 rifle pea shooter.
Meanwhile, the American is tied up and laying down in the back of the Montero and manages to pop the hatchback, rolls out into the street attracting the attention of the Municipal, leading to the arrest of the two transporters. The American leads the kidnapping unit back to his former brother in law and El Osby is taken into custody.
What I don't understand is why did they give up the operational mastermind, El Lupillo who was eventually picked up on January 31? In the California penal system there would be serious implications for that while in Mexico I've noticed that the other participants are routinely picked up rather quickly. Is it a "tell us or else" kind of thing where human rights is not a big deal?
I wonder how many of these kidnapping cells are currently running around Tijuana? If you frequent Tijuana enough times due to business or a love interest are you going to be noticed by a look out? That's probably how it starts, some "lookout" takes your picture with a cell phone and the cell leader makes the determination if you are worth it based on how you dress, how you carry yourself and how frequently you visit the area.
Well Anonymous, I guess what you need to do is to talk to the American who was kidnapped, and he can tell you the whole story.
Oh, you mean "round up the usual suspects"?
Meanwhile it was wild here yesterday - I just missed the shooting at the Revu by about 1/2 hour & although I have a Sentri the lines were unbelievable going up - many Federales checking cars.
I think the thing to worry about right now is all of these police who are being attacked both in Rosarito and TJ - is this organized or independently an example of implosion going completely out of control??
Didn't get home until really really late, felt bad for the guard at the toll booth - he looked worried, poor guy.
Meanwhile, it is slow going at El Chaparral coming into Mex - they are looking for the LAPD guy.
OK I'll be back later, catching up here.
Um re kidnapping - both our American and Mexican neighbors never drive out the same gate, they switch. And I would not classify any of them as paranoids.
That's the way it is.
BTW anonymous, you were complaining about a situation on the bridges to walk into TJ a blog or so back, you felt someone or people were taking pictures of you,and you bring up this picture taking again via cell phones in your last comment, relating it to potential kidnapping. I'm just curious if you have reported your experience on the bridge to both the US and Mexican officials?
Do you happen to know some one by the name of Ichabod? He's a great story teller, and likes to frighten people. Just curious.
There are lookouts "falcons or halcones" on most every residential corner. In my area they give advance notice when police units have entered the neighborhood. Of course they watch people too. We change our routines to make it harder for them to anticipate our movements, but if they want to get you they will. We follow defensive driving techniques and never allow ourselves to get "boxed in" too. That saved us from a carjack/kidnap attempt in Playas years ago. Better to have your head up, than in the sand.
I'm thinking things are going to get worse here soon. I don't know if it's an implosion, it may be headed that way. Much uncertainty, instability and mistrust among and within the narco groups. Since coerced confession are still the go-to justice method I'm not surprised they rat each other out so readily. There is no trust within the groups themselves, and this causes further instability and uncertainty when dealing with them. jmho.
OK valid points there Whooosh. I'm just dumbfounded by the events since Monday - I'm counting what six attacks on Police in TJ and Rosarito with serious injuries including death? One report was made by Frontera and not picked up by the others ...so far.
I just finally spent some time reading over these, but I think it would take an expert to weigh in on what is going on - I mean, some of these are robberies, others people are just opening up on the police, others we are receiving different versions but all in all it is not good.
So I'll get over here tomorrow and update.
It's freezing again. Storm coming in tonight.
Well, Carmen rold Reuban when she retires she wants to move to Spain.
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