Detained in El Paso Texas, 900 gang members with links to drug cartels

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Proceso Article

United States Authorities announced today the arrests of more than 900 gang members from 239 distinctive groups, the majority having links to Mexican drug Cartels, during an operation that lasted six weeks and was carried out in distinct American Cities.

The major part of the detentions were conducted in this city during an operation called Project Wildfire, which led to the detentions of 976 dangerous gang members of groups such as the Surenos, Nortenos, Bloods, Crips, among other gangs that have links to Mexican narco's.

661 individuals were apprehended in this frontier City, meanwhile the rest were located in Puerto Rico, Lubbock, Texas, Detroit, Chicago and California, according to the Office of Investigations of Internal Security (HIS) in a press conference.

In addition the detentions, the United States Authorities seized 82 firearms, 5.2 kilos of Methamphetamines, 7.8 kilos of Marijuana, 5.6 kilos of Cocaine, 1.5 kilos of Heroin, five vehicles and $379,399.00 the proceeds of sale of illegal substances.

"These bands of criminals inflict violence and fear in our communities and without the attention of the Police Agencies, these groups will spread like a cancer". said the Director Sarah R Saldana.

The operation ran from 23rd of February to 31st of March, with the collaboration of 251 Agents of the three levels of United States Government.

"Our Agencies work with colleagues of other Police Agencies in the country to achieve the removal of gang activities wherever they take place," added Saldana.

The Department informed that the majority of the individuals detained are United States Citizens, while another 199 are nationals of 18 countries of South America, Central America, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Carribean. Of the detained, 150 are women.

Actually the Mexican drug Cartels operate in the United States through gang relations with gangs that were arrested as described in the statement.

According to a report of the Department of Public Security,they initiated their plans this year, seven of the eight major drug trafficking cartels operate inside the United States, moving drugs and people to their Neighbouring country, transporting money, arms and stolen vehicles to Mexico. These Cartels include the Cartel del Golfo, Los Zetas, the Juarez Cartel, the Sinaloa Cartel, the Knights Templar, La Familia Michoacana and the Beltran Leyva Organization.

Of these, the Cartel del Golfo, Los Zetas, the Sinaloa Cartel and Juarez Cartel are the ones with the major presence and influence in all of United States.

The defined groups that operate in El Paso are linked to the Juarez Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel, linked to the gangs, Barrio Azteca, Latin Kings and the Brotherhood of Latin Pistoleros, according to the report. Links to the Sinaloa Cartel are Los Surenos, Tango Blast and Latin Kings operate as front line.

Without doubt the gang relations of the Sinaloa Cartel in all of the United States include these other 13: Brown Pride, Border Brothers, East Side Bloods, East Side Locos, East Side Torrance, Eme, Hollywood, Maryvale Gangster Crips, Midvale Park Blood Gang, MS-13, United Blood Nation, Varrio Locos 13 and Vista Home Boys

These gangs operate through California, Texas, Arizona to Washington and the frontier of the United States with Canada.

Original article in Spanish at Proceso