300 Busted in Federal Drug Raids

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 01:11:16 PM EST
Tags: mexican drug cartels, Project Coronado (all tags)

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Today the DEA and DOJ announced the arrests of 300 more people in 19 states in "Project Coronado", allegedly affiliated with the La Familia Michoacana drug cartel. From the DEA factsheet on La Familia Michocana:

This DTO has a strong religious background. It purportedly originated to protect locals from the violence of drug cartels. Now, La Familia Michoacana uses drug proceeds to fuel their agenda that encompasses a Robin Hood-type mentality – steal from the rich and give to the poor. They believe they are doing God’s work, and pass out bibles and money to the poor. La Familia Michoacana also gives money to schools and local officials.

More on the arrests and La Familia Michocana from the BBC. [More...]

77 were arrested in Dallas and 38 in Atlanta.

Also today, Mexican authorities arrested the alleged number two person in the Los Zetas cartel. The DEA says La Familia Michoacana used to be allied with Los Zetas but split off.

[Los Zetas was]formed by ex-Mexican army soldiers, consists mostly of former federal and local police.

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I suppose any line (5.00 / 1) (#17)
by JamesTX on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 10:31:44 PM EST

of reasoning, presented long enough and consistently enough, and with enough coercion and threat, can come to be regarded as common sense. But maintaining that U.S. drug policy is sensible is really expensive both in terms of human misery and dollars; not to mention, to quote George, "it's really hard work".

We live in a society where a controlling proportion of the population thinks raw capitalism is the most sensible and just public policy, embracing caveat emptor and denying the moral legitimacy of the "nanny state", denying that health care is a right, but insisting it is something that one must either earn and pay for or be left to die. Nor, according to these people, does the population deserve or need any protection from high tech extortion, inescapable cycles and a culture of poverty, personal misfortune over which they have no control, or anything else. To provide such protection, they tell us, denies the laws of natural selection of the most efficient and productive citizens, and weakens us as a country. The underlying libertarian sentiment seems to just keep going and going. It seems to be unbeatable.

BUT. These same people see no logical inconsistency between their extremist independence beliefs according to which protection makes us weak, and their unconditional assumption that we must be "protected" from drugs, and that we are entirely incapable of making decisions about the use of drugs (although we need not be protected from chemical poisons of other kinds, such as industrial pollution).

Uncountable billions have been spent. The allocations continue to expand. We seem to be willing to pay any price to making this lie into truth. It gets more expensive every year. I am beginning to have serious doubts about a population which can't integrate its moral, political, and legal reasoning into grassroots action to put an end to nonsense on steroids. It just can't, under any circumstances, make any sense. Why can't we see it?

Has our population lost its ability to reason, or simply lost its ability to control its government? I always pray for the latter, because our government is an ingenious design, and control could possibly be regained. I fear the latter, because once the ability to think and act rationally is lost, it often doesn't return.

: I obviously fear (none / 0) (#18)
by JamesTX on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 10:34:34 PM EST

the former...not the latter.

[ Parent ]

Holder says "cut off the heads"? (none / 0) (#1)
by oculus on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 01:32:17 PM EST

That is exactly what the cartels do.

Here is the BBC link headline:

They decapitate, torture, and extort. Then they pray, and donate to charity.

Decapitate, torture, and extort (none / 0) (#6)
by jondee on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 02:05:21 PM EST

Then they pray and donate to charity.

Add "for the purpose of regime change" after the decapitate, torture and extort and you'd have an adequate description of alot of the Repub base.

[ Parent ]

I was thinking of Taliban. (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by oculus on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 02:19:03 PM EST

[ Parent ]

Sure - carrot and stick. (none / 0) (#9)
by Fabian on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 02:20:01 PM EST

The Family is good to those who support it. The Family deals harshly with any who oppose it.

Any politician knows that game. Some like Blagojevich, cross the line but it's an old, old game.

[ Parent ]

: Patron saint (none / 0) (#15)
by Dark Avenger on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 07:15:34 PM EST

Jesús Malverde, sometimes known as the "narco-saint", is a folklore hero in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. He is celebrated as a folk saint by some in Mexico and the United States, particularly among those involved in drug trafficking,[1] but he is not officially recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church.
History
The existence of Malverde a.k.a. 'El Rey Guei de Sinaloa' is not historically verified,[2] but according to local legends he was a bandit killed by the authorities on May 3 1909. Accounts of his life vary - sometimes he was a railway worker, while others claim he was a construction worker. There is also no agreement on the way he died, being variously hung or shot. Moreover, The tree where he was hung dried and never was green again.
Since Malverde's death, he has earned a Robin Hood-type image, making him popular among Sinaloa's poor highland residents. The outlaw image has caused him to be adopted as the "patron saint" of the region's illegal drug trade, and the press have thus dubbed him "the narco-saint."[3] However, his intercession is also sought by those with troubles of various kinds, and a number of supposed miracles have been locally attributed to him, including personal healings and blessings.
Malverde's shrine, near a railway track in Culiacán, Mexico, attracts thousands of devotees each year.[4] They often leave candles or other artifacts from their lives. Fishermen leave shrimp in bottles of formaldehyde. People also leave photos of those in need of help. When miracles are granted, they return to thank Malverde, often leaving plaques commemorating the miracle.
On 23 March 2009 a shrine of Malverde near Tijuana and thirty shrines of La Santa Muerte found near the Mexico-United States border (la frontera) were destroyed by Mexican authorities in an effort to combat against the increased drug-trafficking related violence in the region. José Manuel Valenzuela Arce, a researcher at the Colegio de la Frontera Norte, a Tijuana-based think tank commented, "Destroying these chapels is not going to do anything to diminish crime... someone who's going to commit a crime could just as easily go to a Catholic church as a Santa Muerte shrine, or go nowhere at all."[5]
Malverde's legacy
A series of three Spanish-language films have been released under the titles Jesus Malverde, Jesus Malverde II: La Mafia de Sinaloa, and Jesus Malverde III: Infierno en Los Angeles. They all feature tales of contemporary Mexican drug trafficking into California, with strong musical interludes during which the gangsters are shown at home being serenaded by Sinaloan accordion-led conjunto bands singing narcocorridos.
Spiritual supplies featuring the visage of Jesús Malverde are available in the United States as well as in Mexico. They include candles, anointing oils, incense, sachet powders, bath crystals, soap and lithographed prints suitable for framing.
"Always & Forever" is a dramatic stageplay that features Malverde as a prominent character. The play examines various aspects of Mexican-American culture, such as quinceañeras, banda music, and Chalino Sánchez, and premiered in April 2007 at the Watts Village Theater Company in Watts, Los Angeles, California. A revival production opens in May 2009 at Casa 0101 Theatre in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California.
A brewery in Guadalajara introduced a new beer, named Malverde, into the Northern Mexico market in late 2007.[6]
A Malverde bust is featured in AMC's Breaking Bad television series episode entitled "Negro Y Azul".
Optional Link

[ Parent ]

In related news... (none / 0) (#2)
by kdog on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 01:38:49 PM EST

absent prohibition repeal, 300 new positions just opened up in La Familia Corp....and in this economy they will be filled quickly...like by the tomorrow, or within the week at the latest.

Holder knows the head always grow back, we know the head always grow back...maybe its time to try a different tool than a machete? Or we can remain the definition of insanity...you make the call.

Problem is, Mexico's tourist industry (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by oculus on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 01:45:29 PM EST

has tanked. Morelia, where this cartel killed people by tossing a bomb into a crowd watching a parade, is a wonderful tourist destination.

[ Parent ]

Legal drugs... (none / 0) (#4)
by kdog on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 01:49:26 PM EST

can really bring in the tourists...look at Amsterdam. Imagine an Amsterdam with beaches and sunshine...talk about a goldmine!

[ Parent ]

You live in an entirely different (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by oculus on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 01:52:32 PM EST

universe than moi. I don't see the violent cartels disappearing.

[ Parent ]

Me either... (none / 0) (#7)
by kdog on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 02:10:53 PM EST

really, but I could see us being very effective at limiting their vast revenue stream in this sector.

Force violent thugs to stick to robbery and extortion and the like...they will have less protection and sympathy from the general public. As it is now a guy like a Pablo Escobar is a freakin' hero in the community...if a guy like that is forced to stick to murder, robbery, extortion to make ends meat...he ain't a hero no more, he's just a menace.

[ Parent ]

This particular cartel started for (none / 0) (#10)
by oculus on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 02:20:17 PM EST

benefit of growers. Protection for them and to do marketing of the product.

[ Parent ]

: Ah - a company town. (none / 0) (#11)
by Fabian on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 02:25:26 PM EST

Makes sense. Gather the growers under your protection and then don't let them go. A regional monopoly if you do it right. And like the Taliban, make sure you are the only buyer and that you set the prices.

[ Parent ]

What I'm seeing described here (none / 0) (#14)
by Fabian on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 06:33:29 PM EST

is a feudal system, where the serfs pledge fealty and give up rights in return for protection. In any place beset by violence, it can be attractive proposition especially if the government doesn't provide any protection.

Remember King Arthur? He wasn't just any (mythical) king, he was the solution to the warlords who had divided up the country and wasted resources fighting each other. Imagine Mexico with an ineffective, weak central government and a mess of cartels who are constantly fighting with each other. Cartels are not in the business of governing, they are in the business of making money - cutting costs, maximizing profits - not building roads, bridges, schools and hospitals.

[ Parent ]

Busting the competition to boost CIA profits (none / 0) (#12)
by Yes2Truth on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 03:47:16 PM EST

If Mr. Holder could be honest, he would admit that

this latest bust is merely a tactic in the strategy

to reduce the competition for profits needed by

intelligence services to carry out black operations.

If the U.S. wanted to stop the bloodshed decried

by Mr. Holder, it could do so almost immediately.

Sadly, the War on Drug Users serves a large base

of special interests...including a huge number of

folks who are in the same line of work as many

visitors to this web site could confirm.

One In 600 Is A Drug Dealer (none / 0) (#13)
by melpol on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 05:14:33 PM EST

There is an estimated 500 thousand drug dealers in the states, each lives large. A massive police net can snare most of them. Recruiting 50 thousand new police informers and paying them in seized drugs can spread the net even further. But massive prisons would have to be built. Libertarians want to let addicts shoot heroin into their veins and snort coke. It would put most drug dealers out of business and end the high costs of sending them to prison.

: solve social security problem too (none / 0) (#16)
by diogenes on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 08:19:25 PM EST

Unemployment is ten percent, so it doesn't matter if people are wasted and unemployable, I guess; there are many more to work in their places. And all these drug addicts will die young and never collect Social Security.

[ Parent ]

A Gift From Allah (none / 0) (#19)
by melpol on Fri Oct 23, 2009 at 02:06:51 PM EST

Heroin is more precious than oil to the billions that want to find peace. And Afghanistan has the poppy fields that produces 90% of the worlds heroin. The poppy is a gift from Allah to Afghanistan, it is their duty to share it with the world.