La Familia Michoacana and their U.S. contacts

Protected witnesses reveal the names of contacts in the U.S. that aid LFM in the receiving drug shipments, distributing the product and laundering illegal money.

Francisco Gómez | El Universal

According to information received by the PGR through witness testimony, California, New México, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Atlanta, North/South Carolina, Florida, are all important territories and centers of operation for 'La Familia Michoacana' in the United States, a fact that is also recognized by the DEA.

In one of the most recent cases, cartel operatives were arrested in less than 30 days in places such as Georgia, Illinois, and Washington D.C.

Authorities said they seized about 80 pounds of crystal meth with a street value of more than $3.5 million, by far the largest meth seizure in Washington’s history. The previous record was about two pounds. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier says they also seized 10 gallons of liquid meth, more than 1,000 grams of cocaine, 11 pounds of marijuana, three guns and more than $35,000 in cash.

To date, La Familia Michoacana has its principal base of operations in California and Texas, two of the states that are seeing a major influx of immigrants from Michoacán. Often, the members of the criminal organization meet and discuss strategies on improving distribution and sale, as well as the topic of more effective ways to launder money.

A protected witness named "Emilio" gave details to SIEDO that “these meeting were for the discussion of logistical strategies related to the sale of drugs in the U.S. and to leave an understanding that those on the north side of the border needed to charge the correct amount, so all the accounts and figures would and up evenly on both sides," according to information exclusively obtained by EL UNIVERSAL.

At the meetings arranged by Nazario Moreno González, El Chayo (deceased), and the actual leader of his cartel, Jesús Méndez, El Chango Méndez, “they would go over the figures of the money that was collected by their collectors who dealt with the money coming in from the United States. They would also name the people who would be in charge of overseeing the drug shipments that were marked for Texas and California. Every detail was discussed, from the methods of distribution, to the amounts charged as the package would be broken down by retail suppliers.," assured the witness.

"Carlos", another protected witness for the PGR, said that La Familia Michoacana dealt mostly with crystal meth and cocaine in the U.S., and they had a fairly strong foothold in the state of California.

He said that the cocaine the cartel bought came from Colombia and would arrive in the port of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán. From there is was transported tot he town of Apatzingán, where it was packed into trailers headed to Tijuana, Baja California, and then on to California and the rest of the U.S..

According to the witness testimony, El Chango Méndez has a pact with the head of the Tijuana cartel, Fernando Sánchez Arellano, El Ingeniero, that allows La Familia Michoacana to use their smuggling routes. “Cooperation is the way that these large quantities of drugs are reaching the U.S. on a weekly basis."

The Accomplices

These testimonies reveal the extensive cooperation that La Familia Michoacana requires from their connection in the U.S. to receive and distribute the product and launder money so that it makes its way back to the cartel leaders in Mexico.

In Georgia, a representative of La Familia Michoacana was a man known as El Boricua because of his South American origin; however according to witnesses, La Familia prefers to have its own people Michoacán handle the product. In Austin, Texas, the Cornejo brothers were in charge of the operation, and they also controlled the drug trade in certain parts of California. Another man of Michoacan origin was El Nacho who was their representative in Chicago.

In Texas, a man named El Pachichi or El Tapachichi, is the person who received many of the crystal, cocaine, and marijuana shipments for LFM. Annel Noriega, La Bonita was the liasson to Los Ángeles for the cartel in regards to their money and drug shipment logistics.

Others who conspired to receive large shipments of drugs and oversaw the distribution were the Martínez Espinosa brothers, Samuel and Martín, who are originally from Pilón Chico, a municipality of Tuzantla, Michoacán. According to Emilio, in 2007 the two brothers, along with El Chango Méndez coordinated drug shipments of marijuana and crystal meth that would make its first stop in Texas and was received by Antonio Avilés, (a) La Pelusa, who has apparently since been murdered. La Pelusa oversaw retail drug sales in Atlanta and his base of operations was a club called Padrinos Night Club, although he maintained several residences and businesses.

Another U.S. operator was Salvador García, originally from Ranchito or Francisco Villa, municipalities of Tuzantla, Michoacán. He received drug shipments in Gaiville, Nort Crosse and in Doraville. “This person would break down the large packages nd distribute them to mid leval dealers for La Familia Michoacana”.

In Athens Teódulo Valdez is the person in charge for LFM, he is responsible for the sale of drugs in the Carolina's and parts of Florida. He also runs money laundering schemes that use local car dealerships and small stores to clean the illicit cash. Both Valdez and Garcia report directly to Annel Noriega Ríos,(a) La Bonita or La Chula.

Others involved in the U.S. side of LFM are two men known only as Osmar and El Güero, who specialize in bringing the illegal cash back to Michoacán.

In regards to the two brothers Claudio and Chava Cornejo, the first one is the nickname of Salón Centenario who resides in Austin, Texas, and he also launders money for La Familia Michoacana, through nightclubs that specifically carry live music. As for Chava Cornejo, operator in Los Ángeles California, he was executed.

Anther member of the U.S. side of the organization if Irineo Silva, (a) La Tripa, originally from El Salitre, she controls all the crystal meth, cocaíne a marijuana that is introduced to Texas, New mexico, by way of California. The same is also said of La Bonita, who also oversees drug shipments that arrive in the U.S. and she alone decides which dealers receive packages and how much product they each get.

In Dallas, Texas, another big name drug courrier is Omar, (a) La Foca, originally from Parácuaro, Michoacán, 22 or 25 years old, “he is a bigtime operator for La Familia Michoacana in Dallas and he answers directly to La Tripa”.

Source: http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/735950.html