Updates on El Teo

Tijuana, BC - Here is more on Teodoro Garcia Simental, aka "El Teo" who was arrested in La Paz, Tijuana on January 12, 2010. For the breaking story on the same day of his capture go HERE.

News sources said that various activities of both the Governor and Mayor Ramos were discontinued and security in and around the Palacio Municipal (City Hall) were strengthened with police and dogs throughout the day.

The operation was launched January 12, 2010 with special trucks, 400 Federal Agents and Mexican Navy, four buses for the deployed troops, five helicopters and two special planes. Under guarded secrecy, elements of the PFP arrived yesterday by air. With units in place, the operation began about ten minutes before 0600 hours in the morning.

An explosion was heard in the area of Fidepaz the luxurious development south of the city, seconds later news agencies here are reporting five helicopters flew over the home where El Teo was held up, the main door was forced open and El Teo was seized. Frontera reports one of the aircraft landed in Fidepaz.

Federal Agents arrived at the home where El Teo was hosting a lavish party. Seven more gunmen were arrested at the home with four suitcases containing 5.8 million dollars and the people there attempted to bribe officials with this money in exchange for the freedom of El Teo, but it did not work. All of the detainees were taken from the premises in two buses. Seven women were seen leaving the house with two children.

By 0800 hours the subjects were transferred and removed by aircraft at the La Paz Airport. The area of Fidepaz remained cordoned off for two hours. Also captured with El Teo was one of his brothers, aka "El Chiquilin" (The Kid) who ranked number two in the organization and has been attributed to part of the crime wave in Tijuana. It was El Chiquilin who was responsible for the brutal murder of Adriana Ruiz Muniz last year.

How did "El Tres Letras" fall?

He could not believe it. Neither police, nor friends, or almost five million dollars could help him evade arrest. Initial reports received by residents of the exclusive residential area, noted that the head cell who had waged a war against the "Ingeniero" Fernando Sanchez Arellano, was at a party when he was caught by federal agents.

But sources clarified that this was not true, that in fact units were able to apprehend the most wanted of the sicarios when they waited an hour in which "El Teo" or "El Tres Letras" would be asleep in order to ensure that detention without sparking a shootout causing casualties.

So El Teo, fell into the deepest of dreams, believing himself to be safe and secure in a residence that was occupied by him and only known by very few people around him, this was his own way to keep a very low profile to avoid detection.

But how did they find him? Do you remember the recent arrest of former municipal police and active sicario Luis Gilberto Sánchez Guerrero, alias "El Gil", by elements of the State Preventive Police (PEP) from Baja California? He was instrumental and the main the source in finally finding the whereabouts of "El Tres Letras."

As it was learned, "El Gil" was one of the detainees who turned out to to be very "cooperative" with authorities, as he started to provide names, addresses/locations and information that were valuable and that eventually lead to the capture of "El Teo."

"El Gil" maintained that he could not provide any information about "El Tres Letras," because he said that he did not have any direct contact with him nor did he know his whereabouts, but in reality he did lead the law to the capture of El Teo without even realizing it. He told "santo y seña" of an individual identified as "El Torito" which he said was "a man very close" to Eduardo Teodoro. He was indeed close to El Teo and in fact he was related in blood with the criminal, because it is said that "El Torito" is none other than the "Chiquilín" Manuel Garcia Simental, the brother of El Teo, who began to grow in strength by directing several cells ordered by El Teo.

Without "El Torito" or "El Chiquilín" realizing it, he was followed day and night, counting on the faith that at any moment he would lead the law to the presence of the most wanted sicario who once dreamed of "overthrowing" his bitter enemy, Fernando Sanchez Arellano of the ownership one of the most powerful cartels. And that is how at one point he lead the ones who were watching him to a street address located in the Sailfish No. 170 Fidepaz, a residential area in La Paz BCS, where he was seen meeting with El Teo.

The lawmen assured that he never even realize that he inadvertently led the full federal forces to the infamous bloodthirsty murderer. And it strengthens the possibility that "El Chiquilín" is actually "El Torito" since the first reports that have emerged is that he had also been detained, which apparently did happened.

Manuel Garcia Simental "Chiquilín" in the white shirt arrested with El Teo?

For several days, federal agents monitored the residence to determine how many people he met inside. They soon realized it was a "safe house" very private in that El Teo was the only one living there, with very little protection, precisely the "low profile" he had intended to maintain. The rest would be history as told and retold.

What Now?

Military and Police agencies remain on alert for possible reactions which may arise because of this arrest.

State officials have pointed that El Teo as primarily the one responsible for the escalation of violence, deaths and kidnappings which exist in this area. Officials had been receiving recent messages from Sanchez Arellano that it was not he who ordered officials and policemen killed. The escalation of violence was El Teo's downfall as internationally Mexico has been receiving pressure to capture the crime boss and end the reign of terror.

Ramon Eduardo Small, head of the Third Division of the Federal Police said that El Teo had ties with La Familia Michoacana and the Sinaloa Cartels, moving their dope for them with the main operations in Tijuana, Rosarito Beach, Ensenada and Tecate. Chief Agent Small indicated there are five outstanding warrants against El Teo, for crimes against health, organized crime, homicide and other charges. He stated that El Teo has been linked to at least three hundred murders in Baja California, including of course, the victims dissolved in vats of acid under his orders.

There is widespread optimism from the public and the general feeling that there will be a significant reduction or decrease in the wave of violence which has swept over this area including killings and kidnappings. Accolades and congratulations from countries around the world have been sent to law enforcement and the leadership of Mexico for the capture of El Teo.

The arrest of Teodoro Garcia Simental, known as "El Teo," has law enforcement authorities and analysts on both sides of the border asking what will happen next in Tijuana.

How the drug turf war will play out now that "El Teo" is off the street is a great uncertainty.

"Either things will calm down significantly as things get under control and the area becomes less contested. Or there could be, of course, further violence and a further working out of differences among the cartels," said David Shirk.

Without a doubt, the expert on the social dynamics particularly with respect to the drug cartels and drug addiction in Mexico, the Social Anthropologist Victor Clark Alfaro stated early today that the arrest of El Teo will not change at all the level of violence in the state of Baja California. He asserted that someone soon will assume the position El Teo held within the criminal structure. He noted that over the years, experience has shown and proven that once one leader of organized crime is arrested, a process of transition occurs and he is quickly replaced.

Alfaro stated that even after the arrest of El Teo he does not see any difference, still there are two groups competing for control of the plaza and violence is the main ingredient. We should, he says, expect more of the same.

Moreover, Alfaro views El Teo as only an operator of the armed wing of the Sinaloa Cartel in this region and his arrest does not represent a blow to organized crime.

El Teo, excessively overweight, tried to maintain a calm presence and only had hand movements or bending the head backwards or even sometimes sideways, while listening to the statements of officials who led the presentation of the press conefernce. He found himself among hundreds of flashes from the photographers who took their images and later circled them around the world.

The chapter of El Teo is now closed

El Teo who claimed to be the head of the Arellano Felix cartel, was and remains subjected to "very intense" interrogations, which has not only provided names of his closest collaborators, but also gave the names of police officers who were at his service.

One of his comments was that he had no direct dealings with them, since everything was done through Raydel Lopez Uriarte, aka "El Muletas" however it appears that if names have begun to emerge, they too will have much to talk about.

With his name of Diego Garcia Simental, as he is identified when he is being questioned, that is precisely how he was known when he began to appear within the ranks of the Arellano Felix cartel, though at one point and without an explanation began to be known as Eduardo Teodoro or his nicknames of "El Tres Letras" and "El Teo."

The prosecutor of the Special Unit for the Investigation of Crimes Against Health of the Attorney General's Office (PGR) was determined to bring the alleged drug dealer in front of the judges who ordered his arrest for crimes against public health and organized crime, along with the other many crimes.

El Teo has five arrest warrants for crimes against health, organized crime and homicide. The SIEDO has four pending preliminary investigations against him, said the head of the agency, Marisela Morales

Teodoro Garcia Simental or Diego Garcia Simental is to be detained in the high security penal number 1 "Altiplano" in Almoloya de Juarez, Mexico State, pursuant to arrest warrants that was leveled against him.

Updates:

A bit of confusion over whether or not El Teo's brother, El Chiquillin was arrested yesterday; apparently first reports were incorrect, the man arrested was Diego Gomez Raymundo Guerrero, or as Frontera refers to him, Diego Raymundo Gomez.

Regarding Diego Raymundo Gomez, or also referred to as Diego Raymundo Gomez Guerrero who was arrested at the La Paz residence, AFN identifies him as a resident of Ensenada and the financial arm or link between the cartels in Mexico and Colombia. Frontera states that Raymundo Gomez is a native of Ensenada, born 11/13/1976, 34 years old whose home is located in Valle Dorado, Ensenada. Frontera also states that no one seems to know anything about him; there are no local, state or federal police reports/arrests on him and that he managed El Teo's resources obtained from various crimes including kidnapping, extortion and robbery.

Tha saga continues, , ,

Categories: organized crime, sicarios, Teodoro Garcia Simental, tijuana