Seven CDS Members Arrested in LA with Drugs, Cash, and Arms

Translated by Yaqui for Borderland Beat from Zeta

By: Carlos Alvarez for Zeta
June 10, 2017

Extra Material from DOJ/ U.S. Attorney's Office,
FBI Press Release, June 8 2017
and Jammed Up

Seven alleged members of the Sinaloa Cartel were arrested Thursday during a police operation in Los Angeles, California, the US Justice Department said in a statement.

The Presumed leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, "El Mayo Zambada", and Former  leader "El Chapo" Guzman Loera
"El Chapo" Guzman has been extradited to New York where he faces a 17 Count Indictment,  Charged with running a Transnational Criminal Enterprise

The men are part of a total of 22 people wanted by police for allegedly being responsible for importing hundreds of kilograms /multi TONS of methamphetamines, cocaine and heroin from Tijuana to San Ysidro, authorities said, including the Office of the Federal Prosecutor in Los Angeles.

DEA Agents and Local Authorities Seizure of over $6 Million USD of Narcotics


Of the total of 22 people, Fernando Madueno Sánchez is already in prison and the remaining 14 are fugitives. Authorities believe they are in Mexico. Meanwhile, those arrested were charged with crimes of drug trafficking,  money laundering, and illegal weapons.

In addition, US authorities identify Jeuri Limón Elenes, who is among the 14 fugitives as the main ringleader of the group serving the Sinaloa Cartel in Los Angeles.

The court documents indicate that Limón Elenes, who is also identified with the aliases of 'Prude', 'Rzr', 'Fox' and 'Royal Nuevo', had the collaboration of his mother, Maria Ernestina Limón Elenes, 64, who was arrested Thursday at her Azusa home in northeast Los Angeles County.

Others were in charge of transporting the drugs to the San Gabriel Valley area in eastern Los Angeles County where it was stored in stash houses until it was distributed by a network of cartel associates throughout the country.

The operation was part of an investigation involving several federal agencies and local police for a period of more than two years, which included wire-tapping. The street value of the narcotics seized was estimated to be more than 6 million dollars, as well as 33 firearms, 3 vehicles and 1.3 million dollars in cash in vacuum sealed bundles.

During the two-year investigation by federal agencies; the FBI, DEA, ICE, IRS Criminal Investigations, US Marshals, the LA Joint Drugs Strike Task Force and the Azuza, CA Police Dept have carried out 14 significant seizures drug seizures totaling 290 pounds of methamphetamine, 280 pounds of cocaine and 30 pounds of heroin. Some packets of cocaine were marked with the figure of a scorpion.

Cocaine Packages Marked with Scorpion Symbol

Officials said that the co-conspirators laundered the illicit proceeds back to the Sinaloa Cartel leadership back in Mexico, according to the indictment. The US Attorney has charged the defendants with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. 

The indictments are the latest setback for the Sinaloa Cartel, which has been beset by high-level arrests on both sides of the border.

Earlier this week, DEA officials announced the arrest of several suspects involved in a high volume California to Delaware Sinaloa Cartel cocaine trafficking enterprise; yet law enforcement officials have yet to indicate whether the two investigations are linked.

Partial Weapons Seizure

            
"We are committed to stopping the illegal flow of narcotics into our country and operations like the Strike Force will continue to have a significant impact on protecting Americans from the scourge of drugs and the violence that often accompanies drug trafficking," said acting US Attorney Sandra Brown, quoted in the statement.

 “The indictment and today’s arrests demonstrate the Strike Task Force’s ability to reach both sides of the border, impacting the Sinaloa Cartel by disrupting their drug supply chain and neutralizing key players in the organization,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge David J. Downing. “We’ve sent a message to the cartels – they won’t be allowed to operate freely in Los Angeles or conduct business as usual.”

 The 19-count indictment specifically charges the defendants with being members of a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The indictment contains 14 counts alleging possession with the intent to distribute narcotics. One defendant also is charged with illegally possessing seven handguns while engaged in drug trafficking activities.

         The seven defendants arrested today are:

• Julian Rocha, also known as “JRoc,” 33, of Azusa, who is charged with being a Los Angeles-based purchaser of Mexican narcotics;
• Froilan Villarreal, also known as aka “DeL MoNtE,” of Azusa, who allegedly illegally possessed seven firearms when authorities seized large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine from is El Monte residence;
• Oscar Arredondo, 53, of Bakersfield, an alleged drug transporter who was arrested in the Eastern District of California;
• Maria Ernestina Limon Elenes, 64, of Azusa, an alleged facilitator and the mother of lead defendant/fugitive Jeuri Limon Elenes;
• Antonio Orozco, also known as “El Sr.,” 45, of Long Beach, who allegedly transported narcotics across the international border;
• Martin Ruiz Saldana, of Santa Ana, who allegedly received narcotics from Villarreal; and
• Audrey Rose Urrea, of Chula Vista, who allegedly attempted to transport narcotics across the international border and who was arrested this morning in the Southern District of California.

In addition to the narcotics and weapons offenses, the indictment includes a charge of conspiracy to launder money that alleges the drug trafficking organization used the United States banking system to launder drug proceeds by making multiple cash deposits into purportedly legitimate accounts to disguise the origin of thousands of dollars of illicit funds.

'When drug traffickers amass large quantities of cash from narcotics sales, they often attempt to legitimize these ill-gotten profits through the use of banks and financial institutions,' said R. Damon Rowe, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation. 'This joint investigation demonstrates our efforts to ensure that the banking industry will not be abused by large-scale narcotics traffickers, but will be operated in a fair and honest manner to promote the public interest.'

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

If they are convicted in this case, all of the defendants would be subject to potential sentences of life without parole in federal prison.