OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2007
Contact: Chuvalo J. Truesdell
PIO/AFD
Number: 404-893-7124
Mexican-Based International Drug
Trafficking Organization Takes Big Hit in US
Large Amounts of Cocaine, Crystal Methamphetamine and Millions of Cash Seized
DEC 11
-- Atlanta, GA?Federal, state and local agents completed the initial
searches and arrests in two multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency
investigations coordinated through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement
Task Forces (OCDETF) program. The investigations targeted major Mexican
drug trafficking organizations that smuggled cocaine, methamphetamine
and marijuana into the United States for distribution in Georgia,
California, North Carolina, New York, and elsewhere. These
investigations focused on two separate Mexican-based drug organizations
that regularly cooperated in using transportation routes into and out
of the Atlanta area.
The
evidence seized during the searches and arrests just over the past two
days includes 111 kilograms of cocaine, 17 pounds of crystal
methamphetamine, approximately $8,000,000 to $10,000,000 in cash and at
least 32 firearms, including handguns and assault rifles.
The two investigations were code named "Operation Shooting Star" and "Operation Latitude Adjustment."
Operation Shooting Star was initiated in October 2006 and was led by the David Wilhelm Atlanta
OCDETF Strike Force. In March 2006, the Atlanta High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
(HIDTA) Task Force began investigating the Georgia-based traffickers identified in Operation
Latitude Adjustment. Both investigations have been designated as OCDETF investigations, which
recognizes the highest priority cases for Federal drug prosecution.
Operation Shooting Star has resulted in arrests of 35 individuals and
the execution of 19 search warrants. Operation Latitude Adjustment has
resulted in the arrests of 12 individuals and the execution of six
search warrants.
Investigators
determined that the targeted organizations regularly transported large
quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana from the Mexican
states of Nuevo Leon, Guerrero, and Michoacan to the Atlanta area, and
then transported currency accumulated from the sale of the drugs back
through Atlanta to be smuggled across the Southwest border to Mexico.
Rodney
G. Benson, Special Agent in Charge of DEA Atlanta said, "Today, law
enforcement disrupted and dismantled two distinct, but inter-related
Mexican-based drug trafficking organizations that shared common
resources. These organizations might still be thriving, had it not been
for the spirited efforts of over 300 dedicated law enforcement officers
representing a myriad of agencies. We have removed in excess of 27
million dollars of filthy money from these traffickers and have taken
thousands of pounds of dangerous drugs off of our streets. True justice
has been served."
United
States Attorney David E. Nahmias said, "These operations have crushed
two major drug trafficking organizations. The seizure of all this dope
and all this money and the arrest of all of those players in the
organization means that somewhere in Mexico right now, there are some
very unhappy drug kingpins. Our message to them is that we will
continue to do everything we can to make the Atlanta area a place where
they don't dare to operate. The two operations are allegedly linked by
drug dealers using the same couriers of both drugs and money. Targets
in both Operation Shooting Star and Operation Latitude Adjustment
received narcotics from common suppliers in Mexico. These are on-going
investigations and our many agencies working together will continue the
aggressive fight against the illegal drugs that poison communities in
Georgia and across the country."
Jack
Killorin, Atlanta HIDTA Director, said, "Today's operation is a major
strike against the Mexican drug cartels that have made the Atlanta
Metropolitan area a hub of drug distribution in the Eastern United
States. In Georgia, this result required the highest level of
coordination among the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Wilhelm
OCDETF Strike Force and the Atlanta High Intensity Drug Trafficking
Area Task Force. The HIDTA effort was led by a DEA Special Agent and an
Atlanta Police Department investigator, but involved all HIDTA
participating agencies. Communities around the country are benefiting
today from their collaborative effort, dedication, and no small
sacrifice."
In Operation Shooting Star,
the drug trafficking organization allegedly coordinated the receipt and
distribution of cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana to states all
along the Eastern Seaboard and into the Midwest. The organization also
used Atlanta as the hub for the collection of drug proceeds from its
East Coast distributors for shipment back to Mexico. In just the six
months preceding the takedown, Operation Shooting Star seized over
$12,000,000 in drugs and drug proceeds just from the Atlanta area,
along with numerous weapons, including handguns and assault rifles. The
investigation also has identified and dismantled sham businesses
established by the organization that were used to facilitate and
disguise its drug trafficking activities.
The 20 defendants indicted by a federal grand jury on December 4, 2007, in Operation Shooting Star are:
JOSE LUIS BENITEZ-TORNES,a/k/a "Cholo"; MARIO ALBERTO GUERRERO-
MARTINEZ, a/k/a "Moyo," and "Pepe"; "EL AS," a/k/a "Ace," (real name
unknown); FNU LNU, a/k/a "Liceniado"; FNU LNU, a/k/a "Rucco"; FNU LNU,
a/k/a "Tejon"; FNU LNU, a/k/a "Peluche"; EDGAR CAMACHO TORRES, a/k/a
"Pollo"; RAMIRO OCHOA PENALOZA, a/k/a "Medico"; OPHELIA PINEDA;
FRANCISCO VEGA SANTANA, a/k/a "Frai"; ENEYDA ROMERO MOLINA, a/k/a
"Nena"; FNU LNU, a/k/a "Jonathan"; JOAQUIN SUAREZ FLORES; JUAN ANTONIO
RAMOS SANCHEZ; "JORGE" (real name unknown); LUIS CORDERO PENA; JOSE
MACIAS MARTINEZ; JESUS EMMANUEL GUADARRAMA; FELIPE SANTANA; and FAUSTO
VILLA-MOJICA, a/k/a "Guero."
25 additional defendants were charged by criminal complaints filed on December 6 and 7, 2007, in Operation Shooting Star:
ALFONSO
RODRIGUEZ FRANCO, a/k/a "CHAVO"; KEVIN JIMENEZ-CASTILLO, a/k/a "JOSE";
J. JESUS TORRES-OCHOA; JOSE MENDOZA-SOLORZANO; DAMIAN LOPEZ-GONZALEZ,
a/k/a "UM-2"; ALEJANDRO GUTIERREZ-BEIZA; ANTERO PINEDA-CAMACHO; JULIAN
ORTUNO-HERRERA; MARTIN MAGANA-BERNAL; ANGEL HARO-PEREZ, a/k/a
"UM-23";ARTURO TORRES-ZARAGOZA, a/k/a "ANDRES FRUTOS"; JESUS GARCIA
CORONA, a/k/a "UM-76"; LEOPOLDO CASTANDA HERRERA; JOSE JESUS ESPINOZA
FARIA; JOSE MAGANA ZAVALA; SALVADOR GONZALEZ-FLORES; JULIO CESAR AVALOS
CERPAS, a/k/a "CESAR"; VICTOR GONZALEZ-FLORES; AURELIO CHAVEZ
MALDONADO, a/k/a "KIYE"; CARLOS ALBERTO GUTIERREZ; JOSE TAPIA-CORNESO,
a/k/a "UM-144"; MANUEL MAGANA-SAGRERO; LORENZO PINEDA-IBARRA, a/k/a
"UM-1247"; JUAN AGUIAR MARTINEZ, a/k/a "UM-237"; and MARCO ANTONIO
RODRIGUEZ MAGANA, a/k/a "TONO."
In Operation Latitude Adjustment,
the drug trafficking organization allegedly used Atlanta primarily as a
transshipment and distribution point. While some of the drugs may have
stayed in the Atlanta area for consumption, investigating agents
believe the majority of the drugs were forwarded to other areas along
the East Coast of the United States, including Tennessee, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, and Virginia.
The
California portion of the operation, called Operation Funk 49, began in
April 2004, after tips led investigators to distributors in San Diego,
California, which began a three-year undercover investigation in that
area. Federal, state, and local law enforcement in San Diego have
executed over a dozen coordinated search warrants resulting in the
arrests of 59 defendants there, as well as the confiscation of 1,246
pounds of cocaine, 604 pounds of methamphetamine, two pounds of heroin,
and over $9.1 million in cash. In Georgia, over 585 pounds of cocaine
were seized as well as $1.26 million dollars. An additional $767,000
was seized by DEA in New York as the result of information uncovered in
the investigation.
22 defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in Atlanta on December 4, 2007, in Operation Latitude Adjustment as follows:
RAMIRO
CAMPUZANO VELAZCO a/k/a "Compadre," 38, of Atlanta; RIGOBERTO SANCHEZ
a/k/a "Rigo," 22, of Buford, Georgia; GUILLERMO CAMPUZANO VELASCO a/k/a
"Memo," 23, of Buford, Georgia; MARCO ANTONIO GONZALEZ PULIDO age
unknown, a/k/a "El Musico," of Marietta, Georgia; TROY PALMER, 43, of
Atlanta, Georgia; ROBERT RICHARDS, 30, of Atlanta, Georgia; NOAH
NEVILL, 25, of Atlanta, Georgia; JOHN DENNIS CHAPMAN, 57, of Atlanta,
Georgia; FERNANDO LNU (last name unknown) a/k/a "Nando," age unknown,
of Atlanta, Georgia; WILLIE LNU, age unknown, of Duluth, Georgia; ERIC
LNU, age unknown, of Duluth, Georgia; ESTEBAN LNU, age unknown, of
Buford, Georgia; ROSA LNU, age unknown, of Norcross, Georgia; "PINTOR"
real name and age unknown, of Texas; "TITO," real name and age unknown,
of California; FAUSTINO GUTIERREZ PLANCARTE, a/k/a "Josillo," 38, of
Sacramento, California; JUAN CARLOS QUEZADA, 26, of Palo Alto,
California; and BRIAN JOHN PRATTICO, (age unknown) of Atlanta, Georgia.
In addition, defendants believed to be located in Mexico include: LUIS
GONZALES HERRERA a/k/a "Francisco Ramirez" and "Pepe;" MIGUEL RUBIO
ZAMORA, a/k/a"Javier Arreola,"and "Rana;" LUCIO GONZALEZ MARTINEZ,
a/k/a "Manuel Gonzalez-Pacheco," and "Chano;" DONA COLUMBA VELAZCO; and
"ALMA," (real name unknown).
These
cases are being investigated by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement
Administration, Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force, Atlanta HIDTA Task
Force, DEA San Diego Field Division and San Jose Resident Office, and
the South Carolina State Patrol.
The
Wilhelm Atlanta OCDETF Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers
from the DEA, FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),
Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, United States
Marshal's Service, Fayette County Sheriff's Office, Doraville Police
Department, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Bureau of Investigation,
Georgia Department of Corrections, DeKalb County Police Department, and
Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles. The Strike Force is named in
honor of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Assistant Special
Agent in Charge David G. Wilhelm, who was murdered in Atlanta in March
2005.
The
Atlanta HIDTA Task Force is comprised of investigators from the Atlanta
Police Department, DEA, the Georgia National Guard, the Georgia Bureau
of Investigation, ATF, the Fulton County Police Department, the U.S.
Postal Inspection Service, the Georgia Department of Corrections, the
Cobb County Police Department, the Alpharetta Police Department, the
Roswell Police Department, the East Point Police Department, the
Clayton County Police Department, IRS-Criminal Investigation, ICE, the
DeKalb Police Department, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the
Georgia State Patrol, the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office, and the
Barrow County Sheriff's Office. Other members of the HIDTA are the
United States Attorney, the Fulton County District Attorney, the
Georgia State Attorney General, the Gwinnett County District Attorney,
the DeKalb County District Attorney, and the Cobb County District
Attorney.
DEA Atlanta Field Division SAC Benson recommends parents and children
educate themselves about the dangers of drug abuse by visiting DEA's
interactive website at www.justhinktwice.com
