US Formally Recognizes Chapito Isidro: Spotted Living in Monterrey

by Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat

US Treasury Designates Meza Flores cartel as an additional Sinaloa-Based Drug Trafficking Organization- Living in Monterrey for several years, his family is spotted at basketball game.

The US Treasury formally designated the Meza Flores Cartel, also known as 'La Oficina',  as an additional and active criminal organization based in Sinaloa.   The cartel is led by Fausto Isidro Meza Flores aka ‘Chapito Isidro’.   

MFC has been in a violent battle with the powerful Sinaloa Cartel led by Joaquin Guzman aka ‘El Chapo’.

The Treasury press release was issued on Friday, January 17, 2013, the action by the US government will cause inclusion of MFC to the ‘Kingpin Act’ affording government latitude to apply punitive financial measures not solely to MFC but extending such measures to any person or group associated with the group.

The press release reads:"The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced the designation of the Meza Flores Drug Trafficking Organization, including its leader, Fausto Isidro Meza Flores, several key family members, and three companies, all of which help facilitate the operations of the organization. 

Today’s action, pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act), is the first designation and listing of the Meza Flores narcotics operation as a Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO). This means that anyone providing material support to, or acting for or on behalf of, the Meza Flores DTO, can be designated by OFAC in future actions. 

This designation generally prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with these eight individuals, three entities, and the entire DTO, and also freezes any assets they may have under U.S. jurisdiction. The Meza Flores DTO operates out of Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico and since 2000, has been responsible for the distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, and cocaine to the United States.  The Meza Flores DTO is one of the primary rivals to the Sinaloa Cartel.. 

As a result of this rivalry, the Meza Flores DTO has engaged in an extremely violent turf war with the Sinaloa Cartel which has resulted in the quadrupling of drug-war killings in the last four years and an increase in kidnappings and arson within the state of Sinaloa.

“By targeting the leaders of this extremely violent Sinaloa-based drug trafficking organization we are prot ecting the U.S. financial system from yet another source of illicit money tied to the narcotics trade,” said OFAC Director Adam J. Szubin.  

“OFAC will continue to target this organization as well as other Mexican drug trafficking operations that are threatening the United States."

OFAC is designating Fausto Isidro Meza Flores (also known as “Chapito Isidro”), the leader of the Meza Flores DTO for his role in the narcotics trafficking activities of the organization and for playing a significant role in international narcotics trafficking. 

Also being designated today for acting on behalf of Fausto Isidro Meza Flores and the Meza Flores DTO are Fausto Isidro Meza.

EL Mochomo

Flores’ wife, Araceli Chan Inzuna; father, Fausto Isidro Meza Angulo; mother, Angelina Flores Apodaca; sister, Flor Angely Meza Flores; and uncles, Agustin Flores Apodaca, Salome Flores Apodaca, and Panfilo Flores Apodaca.  In July 2012, Agustin Flores Apodaca, was arrested in Mexico for distribution of narcotics and he remains in Mexican custody. 

Finally, three companies located in Guasave, Sinaloa, are being designated today that are owned by and acting on behalf of the Meza Flores DTO; a grain transportation company, Autotransportes Terrestres S.A. DE C.V.; a gas and service station, Auto Servicio Jatziry S.A. DE C.V.; and a construction company, Constructora Jatziry De Guasave S.A. DE C.V."

Once the announcement was issued, the US Treasury organizational photo chart flooded social networks resulting in reports of identification of the Chapo Isidro family living in the wealthy suburb of San Pedro in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon.

Proceso and Sexenio Nuevo Leon reported that after the photos of MFC were released, parents and neighbors from San Pedro were at a pricy private school, Colegio Alfonsino,  watching a basketball game. 

A parent at the game saw the report and photos on her cell phone and was stunned to recognize other attendees at the game were  Inzuna Chan and Angelina Araceli Flores Apodaca, the wife and mother of Fausto Isidro.

The discovery spread fast to other attendees.  Not knowing what to do with the information,  several ultimately contacted the media.  Other reports surfaced that the family had been living freely in Monterrey for several years. 

Isidro has two daughters attending the school, the purpose of the family attending the game.  

The school's website hypes, "Our campus is located in the municipality of SanPedro Garza Garcia, the most prosperous suburb across the country".

Isidro began his narco career working for the Juarez Cartel under the leadership of Amado Carrillo Fuentes aka ‘Lord of the Skies’.  

When Amado died subsequent to a bizarre botched plastic surgery, Isidro left the criminal organization and allied with the then powerful Beltran Leyva Organization (BLO). (Amado is pictured below)

At the time BLO were allied with the Sinaloa Cartel (CDS).  The four Beltran Leyva brothers and their sicarios worked for CDS with a reputation as a brutal enforcer group.  

Alfredo, one of the Betran Leyva  brothers with the moniker ‘El Mochomo’, was captured by the Mexican military on January 21, 2008.  The Beltran Leyva brothers were incensed as they believed their boss ‘El Chapo’ had betrayed the brothers and was instrumental in the capture of Mochomo. 

They quickly defected and created their separate and new cartel BLO, aligning themselves with the Gulf Cartel (CDG) and Los Zetas.  This was directly before the CDG/Z split.  After the split they allied with the Zs as they remain today. 

In December 2009, the powerful BLO leader Marcos ‘Arturo’ Beltran Leyva, aka ‘El Jefe de Jefes’ was almost captured at a lavish narco Christmas Party held at his mansion.
He ma

naged to escape but government forces had information that he was holed up at an apartment in Cuernavaca Morelos where he was killed in a dramatic clash between the Mexican Marina and Beltran forces.  The shootout was a 90 min event that included fragmentation grenades, tanks, navy helicopters and countless troops. 

All caught on tape.

Most called the demise of BLO after Arturo’s death, and clearly they were dealt a death blow, as most members abandoned  the cartel, many leaving with Edgar Valdez Villareal aka ‘"La Barbie’.   

Isidro was not one of them he stayed loyal to the group. 

It is a strong probability  that the decision of BLO to continue alliance with Zetas rather than CDG when the two groups fractured, and the decision of Isidro not to abandon BLO after Arturo’s death, is what kept BLO alive.   

Though greatly diminished they have remained a force and are slowly stabilizing, once Mochomo is released in summer of 2013,  it is expected the cartel will strengthen. Mochomo is a strong leader who is much respected by his men and foes.

Isidro and his enforcers Los Mazatlecos have the responsibility  of protecting Sonora, Morelos, Guerrero and  the Guasave region of the sierras for other groups allied in "La Oficina" such as Zetas and BLO, primarily against the advance of El Chapo. 

The Guasave fertile land and weather conditions added to the natural protection against outsiders due to its treacherous and dangerous landscape, make for perfect growing conditions for the opium poppy and marijuana.

El Chapo is making a fierce run for the territory causing great conflict and violent battles leaving scores dead.  Isidro has proven himself as being an organized and capable foe.  An example is the intense “Tubutama Sonora Balacera” which took place 12 miles south of the Arizona border  in July 2010. 

Chapo had sent a large convoy of 40 vehicles with 80-100 gunmen on a cleansing operation.  Each vehicle in the convoy bore painted “X”s apparently to identify vehicles belonging in the convoy, ironically and inadvertently identifying Chapo's men for their enemy. 

Isidro was protecting the last major drug trafficking route controlled by BLO, the Chapo convoy was to overtake the Isidro group and gain control of the route.

In a cunning move, Isidro organized groups of gunmen, which included El Gilo and his men, that blocked the only entry and exit of the rural, tapered road the convoy was traveling.  When the convoy neared the city of Saric, the town adjacent to Tubutama, Isidro’s group opened fire on the now sitting ducks sent by Chapo Guzman.

The official number of dead was “21" at the scene with 6 later dying from injures, although Mexican media sources set the number as high as 50.

GRAPHIC VIDEO

In many conflicts where Isidro is involved, battles are well planned and casualties are in high numbers, he takes no prisoners he is there for the “cleanse”.  Much of the violence and high dead count battles including Choix  and Burrion has been between Chapo and Chapito forces.

Now that the US has formally targeted Isidro and recognized his group as a cartel in their own, right perhaps there will be more information about the him and his criminal organization.  He is an interesting character in the drug war yet so little is written or known about him.  In the Tubutama clash his name was not mentioned at the time.