14 kilos of cocaine seized in Tijuana

14 Kilos seized in Tijuana, belonging to 'El Tigre'

Yesterday around 4:30 P.M, munipical police arrested a mother and her daughter, and two other men, in the Linda Vista colonia, in Zona Central.  According to reports the police, on patrol, observed the suspects engaging in transferring packages from one vehicle to another, in an apparently suspicious manner.  

Police learned that Aurelia Rocha Soto, 65, was the mother of her companion, Ortesmia Rocha, 39.  The packages that were being loaded into a gray blazer, from a green Cherokee, were 14 kilos of cocaine, wrapped in gray duct tape, with stickers of 'Winnie The Pooh' and 'Tigger', and hearts and flowers.  Police, after interrogations established a chain of command, and custody, eventually leading to the owner of the kilos.  

The four who were detained yesterday, work for someone known as 'El Burro', who reports to  Rosy Hernandez Guajardo, the sister of Hector Guajardo Hernandez, 'El Guicho', who was arrested last summer.  All of them are subordinates of Jose Soto Gasteleum, known as 'El Tigre', who belonged to the group under Teodoro Simental, 'El Teo', and who still leads a cell, apparently under the Sinaloa banner, however, there are some different reports on this. 

If you recall, 'El Tigre' was the one responsible for the seizure of 134 tons of marijuana in October 2010, which was being stored in a warehouse, waiting to be broken down, and crossed.  The 134 had several different owners, including Fernando Sanchez Arellano, and Alfredo Arteaga, 'El Achilles'.  Tigre sent men to steal the shipment, which was believed to be only three tons, instead it caught the attention of the Army, and ultimately lead to the entire load being seized.  

This set off a feud between 'El Tigre' and 'El Aquiles', who apparently both operated for 'El Mayo', but were competing for power and preference among their superiors.  A rehab center in Tijuana was stormed by gunmen, lead by 'El Boxer', who was operating under 'El Achilles'.  The shooters killed 13, and taunted Tijuana munipical police on the radio, tactics not seen since the bloody reign of El Teo.  

Jose Soto is said to have his base of operations in Rosarito, and has apparently brought 'El Rosy' under his fold, after previously fighting her group, after the capture of 'El Guicho'.  Zeta Tijuana has reported that the group of 'El Tigre' is also hostile to the Sanchez Arellano group, as well as the Achilles group, but it is a murky and layered picture, that clouds with more information, instead of clarifying.  

This is the second seizure of Sinaloa Cartel cocaine in Tijuana, in the last few weeks.  26 kilos, said to belong to El Mayo were stopped last week.  The workers admitted they worked for the aging, legendary, Sinaloa leader.  It is worth noting that the seizures this week were made by municipal police, who, according to statements made by captured 'El Chapito', Octavio Leal Hernandez, are largely loyal to 'El Achilles'.  

El Tigre, though responsible for multiple murders and kidnapping, has not yet had an arrest warrant issued against him, as Zeta Tijuana reported earlier this year. Accusing the PGR of allowing him, and other traffickers in Tijuana to operate with apparent 'carte blanche'.  Murders and violence continue to drop in Tijuana, however.  Even Anthony Bourdain filmed a recently aired episode of 'No Reservations' in Tijuana, Rosarito, and Ensenada, that featured the famous chef personality sampling Baja's revered cusine in upscale restaurants, as well as taco stands on the street.   

Sources:  AFN Tijuana, SD RED, Zeta Tijuana.