Narco Holiday Update

There is a lot of uncertainty among narcos in Mexico these days. None of them are concerned about the "fiscal cliff" looming in the economic environment with their neighbor to the north because it's simply political chicanery and Mexicans are well schooled in such government gambits. They are concerned about the selling environment and their own government's stance toward trafficking through Mexico into the US.

MEXGOV Snubbs Narcos

Since the Pena Nieto Administration took office on December 1, its key people are not taking meetings with mid to higher level traffickers, precursor dealers, and manufacturers (lab owners). That's not to say that the very highest narcos are lacking access. The crisis has come with those below the top tier. They've been snubbed. And it's making this narco holiday season a lot less cheery than it usually is.

O Canada

In most years, traffickers/distributors leave the US and return home to Mexico to spend their fiesta time with their families. Not so much this year. There are the meth labs in Canada and the new Canadian Cartel types are sticking with business - and shipping crystal meth south despite the holiday season. They've decided to be industrious right up to the period between Christmas and New Year's Day this year. 

The Canadians (RCMP pictured right) seem to be behind the curve in investigating and raiding clandestine laboratories that the Mexican drug cartels (primarily the Sinaloa Federation) have established on Canadian soil. Chapo Guzman (Joaquin Guzman Loera) has visited Canada at least three times this year.

Plastic Surgery - Surging

The uber low key Juan José Esparragoza Moreno (El Azul) has a 'new face' now as does Chapo Guzman. They used the same Brazilian surgeon and they do appear different than the photos that course through the internet. El Azul has been hanging out in Colima, reorganizing the Sinaloa Federation there. Cartel Colima Nueva Generacion (El Mencho) would seem to be out and Chapo's faction is in. SEDENA has stopped the car with El Azul in it and he hasn't been recognized, so one must suspect that the surgeon did a very good job. El Azul also has 'new finger prints'. That surgery must have been unpleasant but it would seem that it has paid off.

Naming a Few Names

My attorney wanted me to add this disclaimer: While this blog strives to make the information on this website as timely and accurate as possible, the I make no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this site, and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this site. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to the contents of this website or its links to other Internet resources.

Reference in this site to any specific commercial product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the the blog owner or his/her representatives.

Precursors - with Insurance

Transportes Castores (http://www.castores.com.mx/) is wholly owned by Juan José Esparragoza Moreno (El Azul). The transportation company is used to bring precursors into Mexico. The company charges for "insured and guaranteed" delivery. So their prices are higher, but you're going to receive what you ordered on time.

How and Why El Bronco bit the Dust

On Tuesday, June 19, 2012, Nicolas Balcazar Lopez, alias "El Bronco" and / or "Commandante Nico", was informed by Chapo Guzman directly that he was expected to 'take a hit' for Jesus Alfredo Beltran Leon Guzman Salazar, who had been taken into custody previously (SEMAR got the right man). Chapo said that Bronco should anticipate arrest on Thursday (June 21) by SEDENA. 

On Friday, June 22, SEDENA arrested Bronco at his golf country club (where he plays every day) at Tlajomulco de Zuniga, Jalisco, a suburb of Guadalajara. SEDENA also arrested Javier Giles and Santos Lopez, Bronco's bodyguards/drivers.

Nico had been the #2 man in Guadalajara and the clock had been running on him for some time. When SEMAR arrested him in December, Raul Flores Flores moved some pieces around the board and the government released him. By June, his drug use and his general malaise made his continued usefulness to the Sinaloa Federation moot. Sure, he knows things today, but he's not going to give it up. And frankly most of what he would have to say is well known to SEDENA.

The Saga of Luis and Esteban Rodriguez Olivera

Both Luis and Esteban are in custody in the United States, having been extradited. In their day, they cut a very impressive swath through the drug business. Neither of them are cooperating with the government, but this is their story.

Luis started in the drug business with Alfredo Barba (union and political leader), and Javiar Garcia Panyagua, who was killed earlier this year in Gudadlajara. 

Luis and his brother, Esteban, worked for their "Godfather" (Raul Flores Flores) early in their drug careers. They used to care for one of his ranches. Their "Godfather" co-signed for their first narcotics load. Exploring who their godfather is and how he mentored them in the drug business would be an interesting discussion for another blog. 

Luis' early business expanded with Alfredo Barba. He and Barba are very close and used to go to Las Vegas, whore and gamble. I checked and neither of them are 'rated players', which means they didn't win or lose big, but they went there a lot. We're in the late 1990's and early 2000's now. Luis moved loads from Colombia to Cancun. Javier moved them from Cancun to Guadalajara or Mexico City. From there, they had an 'open door' to Chicago, where they moved 500k loads by aircraft once or twice a week. Their period of maximum intensity took place between 2000 and 2004 on this route. In 2004, the Chicago door closed.

Luis Rodriguez popped on DEA's scope as an "independent" drug trafficker (one not affiliated with a cartel who may pay 'flooring' to move drugs through a region). DEA didn't know that Luis and his organization was part of the Sinaloa Federation. There are a number of components of the Federation that DEA never classified as such.