Ines Coronel gets busted, Chapo´s father-in-law is arrested in Sonora

Borderland Beat

Ines Coronel Barrera(white hat) along his daughter Emma Coronel(crown).

Ines Coronel Barrera, 45, father-in-law of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was arrested in the city of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico. This was confirmed by the Mexican Federal Government.

Ines Coronel is the father of Emma Coronel Aispuro, 23, the third wife of Joaquin Guzman. He is considered a close relative of the late Ignacio "El Nacho" Coronel. 

Last January, Ines was added to the Office of Foreign Assets Control list, along with Damaso Lopez Nuñez aka "El Licenciado". US authorities labeled Coronel Barrera as "important member" of the Sinaloa cartel.

Mexican authorities announced in a press conference that Coronel Barrera´s arrest was the result of an investigation started last January. Coronel Barrera will be charged with multiple counts of crimes against health, including production, storage and marijuana trafficking.

According to the investigation, Coronel was in charge of marijuana production in the Durango mountains, he was also responsible for coordinating it´s traffic in the cities of San Luis Rio Colorado, Cananea and Agua Prieta, where he was captured.

Said investigation allowed Federal Agents to locate both a cellar and a house used by Coronel, two vehicles were located in those places, authorities believe the vehicles were used to smuggle drugs.

Ines Coronel was captured by Federal Police today about 7:00 AM in an operation where no shots were fired. Along Coronel Barrera, the Federal Agents captured Ines Omar Coronel Aispuro (brother-in-law of "El Chapo”), 25; Juan Elias Ruiz Beltran, 25; Jose Heriberto Beltran Cardenas, 23; and Reynaldo Rios Morales,50. Two vehicles, more than 500 lbs. of marijuana, 4 assault rifles, one handgun and hundreds of bullets were seized in this operation.

Ines Coronel Barrera at the moment of his presentation to Mexican media.

The following is a translation of the press conference Q&A session:

Q: You say his capture was the result of an investigation, could you provide more details? Was he arrested at 7:00? At what time did he arrive, let´s say, at this capital city? Can you give us more details of where is he located now? Who participated in the operation? How many elements? And what corporations? If you could provide details, please.

A: The subject arrived at Mexico City in the transport you have seen at about 4:30 PM today. The vehicles seized continue to be under military guard in Sonora; And these people, vehicles, cartridges, weapons and what appears to be marijuana will be placed at disposition of the Deputy Attorney Specialized on Investigation of Organized Crime (Subprocuraduria Especializada en Investigacion de Delincuencia ...Continued on next page

Q: I would like to ask, being father-in-law of who he is, it draws attention that he was only guarded by four people. What do you think caused this? Didn´t they try to fire their guns? Also, how much was seized? What else is he investigated for? In these months were he was investigated, what is he accused of? How much drugs did he smuggle? How much tons of drugs was he capable of trafficking?

A: Gladly. Like we´ve said before: we´re trying to lower the violence in this country. We´re also participating in that drop in violence. We try these arrest are conducted without violence from the State in order to avoid wounded people, deaths and to be able to get information from those arrested.

That’s the reason why we look at all times to act when the conditions are set in a way no violence is needed. That’s the reason why you see this people were arrested in this manner. Investigations will continue, the legal process will begin and a judge will be in charge of establishing the amount of guilt these men have.

Q: Good evening, with these captures, can we say that the circle around “El Chapo” is closing?

A: The Federal Government, like the Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said, has identified what we call objectives. I mean, highly dangerous criminals who are located supposedly around the country, and we are at work to capture them. We are talking about 44 of them who have been neutralized, 41 arrested, 3 killed. We will keep working so these objectives can be taken down when and if the conditions are set to do so, and so we, I insist, keep walking towards the peaceful Mexico that President Enrique Peña Nieto promised at the beginning of his term.

Q: A few questions just to make sure, did this person had any arrest warrant? If he did, at any given time he will need to be placed at the disposition of a Judge. Is he going to give any legal statement? Will he be held depending on his statement? Has he already given any info that can help locating his son-in-law (“El Chapo”)? How hard is this hit against the organization and what is to be expected after the arrest of Ines Coronel?

A: This subject was captured while committing a crime, so he was arrested in consequence for his possession of assault weapons, cartridges, drugs and not because of an arrest warrant. We are forbidden from giving away details of the investigation and this person is being transferred to the previously mentioned Deputy Attorney Office, there he will be treated with respect to his human rights and we will proceed in a lawful way.

Q: Extradition?

A: I have no information about it.

Q: What level in the structure did this man have, besides being father-in-law of “El Chapo”? Trafficking marijuana doesn´t seem like having an important role in the cartel´s structure when they are already into methamphetamine and cocaine in a big way, really, what´s the level this guy has in the cartel´s structure? Since he was listed by the United Stated Government as a drug dealer in January, did you share intelligence information with them order to find him? And just to make sure, is there any petition by the Americans to extradite this man? Also, if you allow me to ask this, there´s a stir in social media stating that this could be a gift to President Obama since he is about to visit Mexico? What do you think of this?

A: As you know, the Government of President Peña Nieto started from a principle of order and a principle of coordination between Federal authorities. Here, in this occasion, I´m the one in charge of talking with you representing my fellow co-workers, be it the Internal Affairs Ministry, the National Security Council, the National Defense Ministry, the Naval Ministry, CISEN, all this Federal entities that are working in a coordinated way in order to accomplish the goal of a peaceful Mexico, to stop violence and capture the suspects attacking the population in Mexico.

As such, the intelligence information has been shared between different Government agencies, that´s what has allowed us to keep working. This time, the Federal Police has done an incredible ground work, but with complete coordination with other Federal Agencies. I must insist, I have no information right now, sure, I´ll investigate about it and will let you know if there´s any petition for this man.

I think it´s good to remember that criminals such as these, whom the Authorities have to chase, have no level, no rank, this person was dedicated to what has already been said, and it will be his duty to fight against the charges he will be facing. We caught him fragrantly, with drugs, with weapons and with the people already mentioned. Regarding his significance level inside the criminal organization, it´s not our duty to find that out. Our duty is to capture them, bring them to a Judge and they will be the ones in charge of listening to the defendants, look at evidence and impart justice.