By Sandra DibbleThe San Diego Union-Tribune
Benjamin Arellano Felix, former leader of the once-powerful Arellano Felix drug cartel, has been extradited from Mexico to the United States to stand trial in federal court in Southern California, the Mexican Attorney General’s Office said Friday.
Mexican authorities handed Arellano over to U.S. marshals on Friday at the international airport in the city of Toluca.
Arellano was considered the operational and financial operator of the Arellano Felix Organization, and the man who led the group as it rose to power during the 1990s. As the cartel’s leader, Arellano was instrumental in keeping at bay other drug-trafficking organizations from the Baja California region until his arrest by the Mexican military on March 9, 2002 in the city of Puebla.
U.S. authorities had been seeking Arellano’s extradition to stand trial in San Diego federal court.
Run by a group of brothers — Benjamin, Eduardo, Javier and Ramon — originally from Sinaloa state, the Arellano Félix drug cartel monopolized the lucrative routes for illicit drugs through the Tijuana region to the United States for more than two decades.
The cartel has been weakened over the years with as the brothers and some trusted lieutenants have been arrested or killed. Experts said what was once a strong hierarchy has been replaced by a network of criminal cells led by Fernando Sánchez Arellano, a nephew of the brothers. Sánchez’s nickname is “El Ingeniero,” the Engineer.
In Baja California and across Mexico, drug-trafficking gangs have gained control through violence, intimidation and bribery of law enforcement officials at all levels of government. Originally focused exclusively on trafficking drugs, the organizations have been supplementing their income through other crimes such as kidnapping, robbery and car theft.
In 2007, Mexican President Felipe Calderon launched an unprecedented campaign against organized crime, giving the military the primary enforcement role. More than 35,000 people have been killed in the 4½-year war.
Note: This is the only video I could find where it shows images of Benjamin Arellano Felix being arrested.
wow I am shocked. I would think Benjamen would sit down in Mexico City for the rest of his life, Laurie Duffy, is like the federal DA, really hated Arellano Felix. She personally flew in on a helicopter, climbed down on Tigrillo's boat, and told him in person 'You are spending the rest of your life in prison'. She is also responsible for the Fernando Sanchez indictment from last year. This is really a surprise. I wonder if this a result of CAF's diminished power/influence, or just a long time coming.
ReplyDeleteDamn dog, from cartel badass to a number in a US Supermax. Tell me how you like Colorado....Oh yeah, you won't be sending or receiving mail now BEEEYYYOOTTCHH! I'll take care of your momma and sisters while you are away. When you come back...Oh yeah, YOU WILL DIE THERE, they can tell you how it was. Hasta Manana Puta
ReplyDeleteRespect for benjamin arellano El MIN or el Benja , talk your shit online but you won't step in tijuana pinche manguera , and his sister Enedina is in san diego making that bussiness , benja youll be out soon and back in tijuana with EL CAF the cartel that was leaded by u and ramon eduardo javier fransico and alicia and enedina , 10-5 with the engineer
ReplyDeletePREACH MY BOY EL CAF!!!SEE YOU AT EL SOMBERO HOTEL IF YOU KNOW WHAT SAYING HAHA
Delete@3:56 P.M
ReplyDeleteRespect dog shit?? Are you serious?? His sister is a street whore in San Diego and is spreading AIDS everytime a drunk bum has his way with her.
Why would you respect a pile of shit??
You must be one of those culetos who enjoys human feces all over your face , you sorry sick lemon fuck!!
No- Your boy will NEVER be free again. Its all over- so go home and cry and you can be his little bitch pen pal until the state kills that worthless traitor!!!
there are alot of bad ass people in USA federal supermax who dont give a fuck and they will treat him like any other punk his boys cant touch them and they have no family
ReplyDeleteremember my words all you lil wannabie gangsta with your crews.... lil wimps
my comments were directed to the loser who posted at 4:55 pm
ReplyDeleteDFL
@DFL
ReplyDelete@April 29, 2011 3:56 PM
Before you lil wannabee gangsters talk all this shit, does anyone know what happen to Osiel Cardenas? Yeah he is a medium security prison and will be spending less than twenty years behind bars. Oh wait and gets to keep all his money on top of that!! Some justice system. Benjamin Arellano Felix will get the same deal!!
turn off the light the partys over! his life ended in 2002. here he wont be able to communicate with the outside world. like someone said, he is just a number now. what went around came around. i was in tj yesterday having a cold beer and a taco it was great. i think i will head there tomorrow to celebrate his extradition. see ya
ReplyDeletetruly awful comments this time around. How old are you guys? Some of the least interesting, least knowledge, hate filled, just immature bullshit I've seen. I can't imagine why 90% of these were allowed through.
ReplyDeleteTo the poster talking about Endeinia and Engineer, do you really think the CAF still stands like that? They are still around, but it seems more and more marginalized by Sinaloa.
He's a bitch. His family is doing life in a supermax and he will too. His days are done. All you wannabe narcos throwing gang signs with your homies, here is some news, he does not like or respect you. he would fuck you to save his own ass. now he is gonna get fucked by the aryan brotherhood.
ReplyDeleteTexcoco Mex said.
ReplyDeleteIt is funny to see how people react over comments. The truth is that with people like this what goes around comes around and at the end not even money or a low level hacker or all your 2 face backstabbing friends will save you.
Benjamin arellano felix will not serve more than 15 years idiots, osiel cardenas and guero palma got less than 20 years, benjamin is powerfull and will always be he ruled in tijuana for almost 2 decades , chapo guzman and mayo zambada and many feared the notorious brothers,enedina arellano felix runs the cartel along with her son fernando sanchez arellano she has pharmacies and motels all over the american union , benjamin was the bussiness man in the cartel , Ramon the one that took care of people in the way,this cartel knows as EL C.A.F will always be 10-5 , students of Cris8-9, my shout out to : benjamin,eduardo,javier,enedina,alicia,fransisco,carlos,chuy labra, guero camaron, el cholo5-5, el mayel , arturo villareal alias el nalgon, and always will be remembered RAMON ARELLANO FELIX and his right hand hitman fabian martinez gonzalez alias " el tiburon"...10-5 with el ingeniero " while the noses of the white men ask, will give...........el puma
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Team USA!! Thank you President Calderon and Mexico for continuing to battle through so much resistance! Let's continue to work together as its the only way to stop the violence.
ReplyDeleteAnd God Bless those government officials who have sacrificed so much to bring these dogs to justice!!
Just Like KiKi DFL.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I hate to admit it the poster who mentioned aryan brotherhood is right. They run the federal system. They had enough power to make John Gotti pay them 50k a month and when he stopped they damn near beat him to death and he changed his mind.
ReplyDeleteYa'll need to stop perpetrating the fraud. Real gangsters can't read.
ReplyDeleteI wanna give a shout-out to my boy Booby Ray who is doing triple life in Marion. He said Benji is gonna be washing his draws when he gets his hands on him.
ReplyDelete@DFL
ReplyDeleteAre you delusional or just plain stupid? Osiel Cardenas got less than twenty and gets to keep his money! He cut a deal with the DA because he plea bargained. He will free again. Keep dreaming moron!
I suspect many of the hate directed comments come from law enforcement officers, green ones of course.
ReplyDeleteThe comments made about his treatment in prison in the US are unfounded. He will be treated with the upmost respect by inmates and by the officers, because of who he is and how much he has. Money rules everywhere. He will be treated like the kingpin that he is. Get some background before you comment. Don't get your information from a B movie about state prison.
Cardenas' case was a plea bargain for exchange of information about the Zetas. That is all the time he is getting. Wasn't Manual Torres (M 1) with the Sinaloa Cartel recently released from federal prison in the US?
J, this is a bunch of immature cops mad because they get there butts kicked daily with their "war on drugs."
I am really not sure how the people from "Logan Heights" figure into anything about this or with Mexican Cartels in general, but oh well.
Don't get me wrong, I don't like this guy because he did a lot of terrible things. He and his brothers killed for fun. I am just saying, it is what it is.
TRC
The really comical thing i see is the Doughnut Chompers on here believeing they did their part when in reality the government only provided the fuel for the plane that brought him here.
ReplyDeleteU.S. War on drugs, keeping America safe by Fighting them over there. and over there, and here and under this rock etc. but never here where it counts. Why?
you have plenty of Drug Lords in the states, lack the stones to go after them?
ive seen the TV with 50+ Dunkin warriors going after a crack house, but where are the big fish?
Some people on here talk alot of non sense and dont know anything about these guys and who they really WERE. CAF no longer exist. Fernandos crew barely exist and main guy sends orders to Tijuana from Jalisco when he has a "visa" lined up. He is working with most Sinaloa cells that are already established in Tijuana. Chapo Guzmans organization is powerful because he is not greedy like Fernando and is more opened minded about doing business. Guzmans or Zambadas organization would not risk sending more than 134 TONS of marijuana without police getting involved trust me. It just happen that there was miscommunication by 2 Sinaloa cells and thats why they had the historic seizure.
ReplyDeleteIts funny when you read things that praise this gutless organization. Ramon Arellano was a monster but also a very smart man who had his head in EVERYTHING and who showed off alot. There has been a couple intances were he had his ass kicked(specially by Angel Gutierrez). This family has screwed many loyal people who worked for them over the years.
I had a really close family member work with them in the late 80s early 90s and is now laying in Glen Abbey Cemetary. He helped them grow in a operational sense and got betrayed by them. Suspicion with the brothers was unforgiveable. Think before you talk on here and think you are hard.
A lot of that sounds right. Why do you say Fernando Sanchez is greedy though, where do you draw that from? I agree, that his crew is basically a handful of cells that still operate in Tijuana. Who is the main guy? What is El Gordo's Villareal's status? He disappeared after that indictment last year. Thanks for the info, I appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteTexcoco Mex said.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I mention the people from Logan Heights is because they work for the AFO they are the ones who control the drug trade in San Diego and they move weight to L.A, Las Vegas and other states as well. Some one here said that we talk shit on line just because we are not face to face with these type of people and that we should have respect for these people. Well I have had conflict with them and I tell you they are a bunch of cowards they only men up in a group and they are a bunch of two face backstabbing MF. Haven't you people noticed that most of the people killed were kidnapped and executed or were ambushed by a group of people.
MF forget about the streets but when they rap they songs. They claim they tote the heat, they quick to clap they guns. In interviews be bragging bout the crack they slung. But when it's war, these cowards never blast, they run. The fuck you think you fooling dog? I live this shit. I know it when MF fake it I live this shit. You can front it all you want but when yo ass gets hot. Then you can rest assured MF yo ass gets got. MONEY IS CHANGING MF MAKING HOES GROW NUT you are a bad MF you don't give no fuck.
I love this song.
The only people I have respect for is Calderon and all the non corrupted Police and Military men and women fighting this war on drugs.
El Min will probably cut a deal like Osiel Cardenas and do 20 years in a medium security prison
ReplyDeleteThe US paid 500 million for him. There is NO way he will do less than life and not be in a supermax.
ReplyDeletei think everyone that is talking shit on here is stupid. lol he is locked up already nothing anyone can do about it! grow up! talking shit online is NOT going to physically harm anyone, you say you are such big macho men then go get a fucking job and provide for your family. instead of trying to pick fights online lol fucking dumbasses =)
ReplyDeleteI am amused ny some of the comments made here. One he will not likely spend the rest of his life in jail. Two he is still very much a power full man, he will end up serving for his charges of conspiracy to traffic, trafficking of controlled substances, and running a continues criminal organization some where around 20 years. Most of you here are yelling US this US that, please understand that your countries laws are very limited and if not for the Mexican president kissing ass the extradition would have not been possible. I am Russian and you can not even touch the man that heads your joke of a list the FBI's Top Ten. Why do you think it took so long for the extradition?? Headlines and to make good of the 2.5 billion spent on war on drugs. Most of the top Mexican drug and World Drug and Criminal players will not see a jail cell. So please before you post think about what you are saying.
ReplyDelete@ aram
ReplyDelete20 years in prison is still a long time to have to pay the aryan brotherhood to be able to keep your teeth in you gums..
he will be an old man by then
THEIR AIN'T NO STOPPING THE CARTEL IN TIJUAS. U MIGHT SLOW THEM DOWN, ARREST A COUPLE BUT YOU'LL NEVER TERMINATE IT. EL C.A.F IS TIJUANA... AS LONG AS THERES FAMILY AND PEOPLE WILLING TO KEEP EL C.A.F GOING. ARRIBA EL CARTEL DE TIJUANA Y ARRIBA BARRIO LOGAN XXXTA.
ReplyDelete