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UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF VIOLENT GROUPS (www.isvg.org)
DAILY BORDER NEWS REPORT FOR 14 NOVEMBER 2011
COMPILER, INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF VIOLENT GROUPS (www.isvg.org)
EDITOR, JOINT TASK FORCE NORTH (www.facebook.com/USA.JTFN)
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Compiled By: Mr. Tom Davidson, Institute for the Study of Violent Groups
Edited by: Mr. Jonathan Kaupp
Approved for Release by: Dr. Rodler Morris
CONTENTS: (Note: All active EXTERNAL hyperlinks have been removed)
Table of Contents
CONTENTS 1
1. CANADA AND NORTHERN BORDER STATES 3
A. B.C. Fisherman Held in Drug Bust Again (BC) 3
2. INNER UNITED STATES 5
A. Mexican Meth Operation Busted in Two Central Valley Counties (CA) 5
B. Suspected Terrorist Charged in U.S. with Supporting Al-Qaeda (NY/GE) 6
C. 138 Arrested in Oakland during Multi-Agency Sweep (CA) 6
D. Crime Connection between Valley and Mexico (CA) 7
E. Feds: Mexican Cartel Planned Attack against US (IL/MX) 8
3. MEXICO AND SOUTHERN BORDER STATES 9
A. A Leader of Mexico's Caballeros Templarios Gang Arrested (GTO) 9
B. Zetas Cartel Paymaster Arrested in Northern Mexico (NL) 10
C. Mexico Detains a Top Operator of Sinaloa Cartel (SIN) 12
D. University Researcher Gunned Down in Central Mexico (MOR) 13
E. Mexican Army Arrests Top Tijuana Cartel Lieutenant (BC) 14
F. Would-Be Killeen Bomber Gets Additional, Harsher Charges (TX) 14
G. Calif. Budget Cuts Threaten To Cut Elite Special Agent Units (CA) 15
H. Mexican Democracy Tested by Drug Lords in Politics (MICH) 17
I. Official Says Shootout Revealed Communication Issues (TX) 20
J. Mexican Legislators: Punish Those Who Glorify Drugs, Violence (DF) 21
K. Campaigning Ends Ahead of Election in Violent Mexican State (MICH) 22
L. Battle for the Border: Cartel Insider Speaks (TX) 23
M. Battle for the Border: Cartel Safe Zones (TX) 25
4. CARRIBEAN, CENTRAL, AND SOUTH AMERICA 26
A. Brazilian Cops Nab Rio’s Most Wanted Drug Kingpin (BR) 26
B. DEA Commando Teams Deployed in Central America (DR/GT/BZ/HN) 27
C. With Lorenzana Arrest, Guatemala Raises Game against Old-School Traffickers (GT) 29
D. Kidnapped Washington Nationals Catcher Wilson Ramos is Alive, Police Say (VE) 31
5. OPINION AND ANALYSIS 33
A. EDITORIAL: Central America Elections Prove We Are Stuck in the Past (GT/NI) 33
B. Operation Cancun Fugitive Lands in Mexico To Buy Airline (US/MX) 34
C. NGOS to Washington: Cut Military Aid to Mexico (DC) 36
D. Success Plan Colombia 'Greatly Overstated': Study (US/CO) 37
E. Bureau Recommends: Torture Used by Army in Mexico’s ‘War on Drugs’ (BC/NL/TAB/GRO/CHIH) 39
F. Curing Central America’s Crime Epidemic Is Up to Latin America, Not the U.S. (HN/GT) 39
G. Mexico: Anonymous Shifts Sights from Zetas to Government Corruption (NL) 41
1. CANADA AND NORTHERN BORDER STATES
A. B.C. Fisherman Held in Drug Bust Again (BC)
11 November 2011
Seattle Times
A Canadian fisherman and drug smuggler who escaped prosecution after authorities seized his boat and cargo of 2 ½ tons of cocaine off the Washington coast in 2001 is now suspected of trying to smuggle 400 kilograms of cocaine from Colombia by boat.
The 18 Oct. arrest of John Philip Stirling, a gruff 60-year-old fisherman from Vancouver Island, marks the third time in a decade that he has been caught red-handed smuggling large quantities of drugs, according to court records. Until now, he has managed to avoid prosecution on both sides of the border, although nobody has ever said on the record how.
He remains unabashed and unapologetic, according to charges filed in the recent case in Miami.
While being transported to the Federal Detention Center in Miami, Stirling is alleged to have remarked that "there was nothing wrong with cocaine trafficking and that the United States should mind its own business."
The charges say Stirling's sailing vessel, the 58-foot Atlantis V, was intercepted 300 miles off the Colombian mainland by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Confidence on 17 Oct. The boat, which was in international waters sailing under a Canadian flag, was shadowed by the cutter while the Coast Guard awaited authority from Canada to board her.
The next day, while still awaiting permission, an Atlantis V crewman identified as Luigi Barbaro jumped into the sea and was picked up by the cutter.
"Barbaro informed the USCG that narcotics were on the Atlantis V and that he feared for his life." He claimed the remaining crew members were preparing to scuttle the boat. In the meantime, a second crewman jumped and was rescued, according to the charges.
After Canada provided permission to board the boat, a team from the Confidence found 358 bundles of suspected cocaine, weighing roughly 880 pounds, hidden behind woodwork. Two of the bundles were later found to contain heroin and methamphetamine, the charges say.
In 2006, Canadian authorities boarded another fishing vessel captained by Stirling in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and found $6.5 million worth of marijuana. Stirling was charged in British Columbia. However, the prosecution was "stayed" — without explanation — and Stirling and his crew went free.
But the 2001 case involving Stirling and another boat, the Western Wind, still sets eyeballs rolling in federal law-enforcement circles.
Stirling was master of the 88-foot tuna boat, which was stopped by the U.S. Coast Guard entering the Strait of Juan de Fuca off Cape Alava. Under several tons of frozen fish, searchers found nearly 5,000 pounds of cocaine in bags marked as sugar. At the time, it was considered the largest cocaine seizure in Northwest history.
U.S. Customs took Stirling and four crewmen into custody, only to release them to Canada a few days later without official explanation. He was never charged.
Stirling, in an interview with The Seattle Times the following year, admitted he was smuggling the drugs but said he had been caught in a squeeze-play between the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and an international motorcycle gang.
Stirling said the RCMP backed out of a deal to pay him $1 million to set up a drug sting of the motorcycle gang. Stirling said he had been approached about the deal by a biker intermediary he met in prison in the early 1990s while serving time for smuggling drugs.
The bikers helped him buy the Western Wind, he said, but then the RCMP pulled out of the deal. He claimed he was left owing money and drugs to the bikers, and said they would kill him if he did not deliver.
Law-enforcement sources on both sides of the border told a different story.
They said Stirling told the RCMP the deal had gone south — so to speak — and that he had simply gone fishing. However, while at sea, he said, he received a threatening email from the bikers telling him to go to Colombia and get the drugs, or else.
Either way, it was a double-cross, said a retired senior agent with U.S. Customs who was running the investigation onboard the Western Wind that day.
The Canadians refused to provide information about Stirling, citing a law that offers complete and unqualified protection to police informants. Nor would they cooperate with any plan to try to salvage the drug delivery in British Columbia, even though it gave the RCMP a chance to crack the biker bang.
Canadian officials also refused to let armed — or even unarmed — U.S. agents on Canadian soil, the agent said.
"The way things worked is that the Canadians had to protect their informant, even if he went sideways on them," he said. "It was frustrating. We hit several roadblocks. We were in international waters, and a lot could have been done, but it was not."
Calls left with the RCMP media office in Vancouver were not immediately returned.
"All I can say is I hope that nobody is stupid enough to use him in any fashion as an informant," said the agent, who now runs an investigative agency in Gig Harbor.
Stirling did make overtures, according to the Miami charging documents.
"Stirling waived his right to an attorney, but stated that he would not provide information unless he was going to be released from custody," wrote an FBI Special Agent. "However, when Stirling was notified that an immediate release was not possible, he decided to invoke his right to counsel."
Source: [seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016739941_drugbust11m.html]
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2. INNER UNITED STATES
A. Mexican Meth Operation Busted in Two Central Valley Counties (CA)
Editorial note: please see story 2D for related information.
10 November 2011
Crime Voice
FRESNO – A dozen people were arrested in connection to a meth ring that traces back to a notorious drug cartel in Mexico.
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office announced this week that an operation carried on Nov. 4 resulted in 12 arrests and the seizure of large amounts of meth and cash. Authorities say the meth ring has ties to “La Familia,” a violent drug trafficking organization in Mexico that smuggles methamphetamine into the United States.
Nearly 70 agents carried out the police operation, serving five warrants in Madera County and four warrants in Fresno County. Among those arrested were a 36-year-old Hispanic man and his wife, 31. The two suspects, who were arrested in their home, are believed to be the head of the local faction of “La Familia.”
Authorities say that the home, located in a new subdivision in Madera County, served as a supply center to carry out the drug business. Agents found four pounds of meth at the home, and six more pounds of meth in a storage locker.
The Madera County Sheriff said that this operation was “a highly organized syndicate believed to be one of the most violent factions, responsible for money laundering, and trafficking mass quantities of methamphetamine.”
He said that the drugs were not made locally.
“This meth is being imported,” he said, and the trail leads down to Mexico.
The amount of meth found during the operation is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, authorities said. Meanwhile, the husband and wife were collecting federal and state public assistance, including financial aid and affordable housing help. The couple has four children ranging in ages from 3 to 13 years old. They are now with Child Protective Services.
Eight other suspects who were part of the drug ring were also arrested. Also arrested during the police operation were two of the drug ring’s customers.
Source: [crimevoice.com/mexican-meth-operation-busted-in-two-central-valley-counties-9494/]
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B. Suspected Terrorist Charged in U.S. with Supporting Al-Qaeda (NY/GE)
11 November 2011
The Hindu
A 30-year-old Moroccan has been indicted here on charges he helped the al-Qaeda network plot terror attacks.
Abdeladim El-Kebir was charged with conspiring to provide material support, including personnel, training, lethal substances and explosives, to al-Qaeda.
A federal grand jury in Brooklyn returned an indictment against El-Kebir, who was arrested by German law enforcement officials on 29 April 2011, and is currently in custody there.
He was living in Germany illegally after having lived in the country on a student visa.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Moroccan native El-Kebir and two other men arrested in Germany were making a bomb on al-Qaeda’s order that could be used in a crowded place.
According to authorities, El Kebir received training in an al-Qaeda camp near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border after which he returned to Germany to carry out the attack.
Source: [www.thehindu.com/news/international/article2617599.ece]
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C. 138 Arrested in Oakland during Multi-Agency Sweep (CA)
10 November 2011
KALW News
A six-day joint operation between Oakland Police and nine other federal and local law enforcement agencies netted 138 arrested, seized 13 guns, two bulletproof vests and $32,000 in cash along with assorted narcotics and a stolen vehicle. Suspects were arrested on outstanding felony warrants including murder, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, and narcotics trafficking, in addition to 14 sex offenders who were found in violation of their conditions of release.
The interim Police Chief announced the conclusion of the sweep, which began on 4 November this morning alongside the U.S. Attorney for Northern California, the Mayor, the City Administrator, the U.S. Marshal, the Alameda County District Attorney and the director of the Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
The law enforcement collaboration was a direct response to the violence Oakland has suffered through this year, with almost 30 percent more murders this year than at this point in 2011. “There are two Oaklands,” said the Mayor. “One is very thriving and very successful, but we also have big pockets of poverty, our 100 toughest blocks,” where much of this six-day operation took place.
Over the better part of last week, more than 100 law enforcement agents from OPD, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, the U.S. Marshals, the California Highway Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Secret Service and the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation conducted more than 385 searches throughout the city. One such operation near 8th & Washington Streets in downtown Oakland raised fears in the Occupy Oakland encampment of another police raid – neither the Mayor nor the Chief would comment on plans for a rumored eviction of the camp in the immediate future.
Among the weapons seized were a heavily-modified 12-gauge Mossberg shotgun with a laser sight and a fully-automatic Sten Gun, a World War II-vintage 9mm machine pistol that had been repaired by hand.
The District Attorney said the six-day sweep, which took two months to plan, is the first of a serious of collaborations between Alameda County and federal law enforcement.
“This is just one of many operations where we’re taking individuals off the street,” she said.
Source: [informant.kalwnews.org/2011/11/138-arrested-in-oakland-during-multi-agency-sweep/]