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F M S O Foreign Military Studies Office 731 McClellan Ave Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027 Latin America Military and fmso- Security Watch [email protected]
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Use of these articles does not MEXICO reflect official endorsement. SPECIAL INTEREST Reproduction for private use or Death Toll in Mexico – 04 October 2011 gain is subject to original BAJA CALIFORNIA copyright restrictions. Custom Agents Seize $(USD) 915,319.50 in Tijuana, Baja California – 05 October2011 This report is a compilation of HIDALGO extract translations of Spanish Los Zetas Operator Confesses to Having Killed over 60 Individuals language open source Following his Arrest in Amaxac, Hidalgo – 03 October 2011 information and not evaluated Authorities Arrest Three Los Zeta Operators in Huejutla, Hidalgo – 06 intelligence. October2011 GUERRERO The complete articles in SSP to Improve Security Measures in Tourist Areas of Acapulco, Spanish are available from Guerrero – 04 October 2011 FMSO. VERACRUZ Marines Dismantle Network of Police Officers Working at the Service This briefing is FOUO and of Los Zetas in Veracruz – 04 October 2011 must be protected and JALISCO controlled in accordance with PGJE Officers Arrest Six Los Zetas Operators to Include a 19-Year- U.S. standards. Old Female Sicario in Jalisco – 04 October 2011 MICHOACAN Results of Operations Conducted against La Familia Michoacana and Los Caballeros Templarios in Michoacan – 05 October 2011 AGUASCALIENTES UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 1
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Thirteen Police Officers Working at the Service of La Oficina Arrested in Aguascalientes – 04 October2011 Five Los Zetas Operators Arrested in Cosio, Aguascalientes – 06 October 2011
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MEXICO SPECIAL INTEREST Death Toll in Mexico – 04 October 2011
El Universal media source (citing figures from www.presidencia.gob.mx) reported the following figures regarding the death toll associated with organized crime violence in Mexico.
Number of murders linked to organized crime between December 2006 and December 2010: 2006: 62 2007: 2,826 2008: 6,837 2009: 9,614 2010: 15,273. Murders by quarter were reported as follows: First quarter: 3,339 Second quarter: 4,102 Third quarter: 4,142 Fourth quarter: 3,690 States with the highest murder rates between 2006 and 2010 were listed as: Chihuahua: 10,135 Sonora: 1,258 Baja California: 2,019
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Sinaloa: 4,387 Tamaulipas: 1,475 Jalisco: 1,073 Michoacan: 1,751 Guerrero: 2,739 Mexico State: 1,538 Municipalities with the highest murder rates between December 2006 and December 2010: Juarez, Chihuahua Culiacan, Sinaloa Tijuana, Baja California Chihuahua, Chihuahua Acapulco de Juarez, Guerrero Gomez Palacio, Durango Torreon, Coahuila Mazatlan, Sinaloa Nogales, Sonora Durango, Durango Those states with the higherst murder rates between 2006 and 2010 were reported as: 2006: Michoacan, Guerrero, Baja California, Sonora, and Nuevo Leon 2007: Sinaloa, Michoacan, Guerrero, Chihuahua, and Baja California 2008: Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Baja California, Guerrero, and Mexico State 2009: Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Guerrero, Durango, and Michoacan 2010: Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas, Guerrero, and Durango
Comment: This article is a translation of the image above.
Spanish Source: http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/graficos/pdf11/grafica_seguridad.pdf
BAJA CALIFORNIA Custom Agents Seize $(USD) 915,319.50 in Tijuana, Baja California – 05 October2011 On 05 October 2011, soldiers and customs agents seized $(USD) 915,319.50 from a vehicle at a customs checkpoint at the Garita Internacional de Otay in Tijuana [32.533789,- 117.018127], Baja California. The names of those individuals arrested have not yet been released.
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Spanish Source: http://noticieroelcirco.blogspot.com/2011/10/efectivos-militares-en-coordinacion- con.html
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HIDALGO Los Zetas Operator Confesses to Having Killed over 60 Individuals Following his Arrest in Amaxac, Hidalgo – 03 October 2011 On 01 October 2011, the SSP reported the arrest of four Los Zetas operators in the Amaxac community [21.059992,-98.415871] of Huejutla de Reyes, Hidalgo. Those individuals arrested were identified as: Javier RODRIGUEZ Mesa, 21, aka El Comandante Negro Arturo GONZALEZ Bautista, aka El Chuco Pedro MARTINEZ Mendoza, aka El Perico Daniel GONZALEZ Nuñez. He was arrested on 03 October 2011 near the San Felipe Prizatlan- Huejutla Highway exit to La Ceiba community in Chililico, Huejutla.
Additional Information Regarding Javier Rodriguez Mesa He joined the Mexican Army in 2006 and was assigned to the 74th Infantry Battalion in his hometown of Cerro Azul, Veracruz. While working as a soldier, he also worked for Los Zetas. In 2009, he deserted his position in the military and began working for Los Zetas on a full-time basis. Within the ranks of Los Zetas, he served as a hitman and as a „comandante de estacas‟ (leader of a small cell composed of no more than seven hitmen) that operated in Poza Rica, Pánuco, Álamo, Tantoyuca, Veracruz, and Tampico, Tamaulipas. He confessed to having kidnapped at least 55 individuals and to having killed an estimated 60 (to include members of rival gangs and Los Zetas deserters). He also stated that he has been involved in multiple confrontations. Some of the crimes carried out by Javier Rodriguez Mesa include: o The kidnapping of 55 Gulf cartel operators. He said that he (and others) kidnapped them during a three day time period from areas in Panuco, Veracruz, and Tampico, Tamaulipas. He stated that 50 of these individuals were shot in the head and later “cooked” (this refers to dissolving murder victims in acid).
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o The kidnapping of El Profesor (nickname) and his wife on 22 September 2011 in Huejutla. He confessed that he took them to Alamo, Veracruz where he tortured them, killed them, and dissolved their bodies in acid.
Spanish Source: http://www.historiasdelnarco.com/2011/10/detienen-zeta-que-dice-haber-ejecutado.html, http://thenarcotimes.blogspot.com/2011/06/cae-el-puma-comandante-zeta-en-tabasco.html
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Authorities Arrest Three Los Zeta Operators in Huejutla, Hidalgo – 06 October2011 Authorities recently arrested three individuals operating at the service of Los Zetas after they were caught driving three stolen vehicles on Central Boulevard in Huejutla [21.138567,- 98.420012], Hidalgo. Following their arrests, the now detained individual stated that they were to deliver the vehicles to Veracruz. Information regarding the stolen vehicles and those individuals now police custody was reported as follows: Fernando ESCOBAR Flores, aka El Nando, was arrested driving a white 2010 Chevrolet Cheyenne with Tamaulipas plates WJ-06784 (reported stolen on 23 September 2011 from Tuxpan, Veracruz). Following his arrest, Escobar was identified as a native of Panuco, Veracruz. He began working for Los Zetas as a lookout, but following the disappearance of a Los Zetas leader known as „Pay‟, Escobar was promoted to the leader of lookouts in Panuco (a position known as RT). In December 2010, Escobar was arrested by soldiers, but was released after authorities could not link him to any organized crime group.
Oscar VALDEZ Flores, aka La Mosca, was arrested driving a tan 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche with San Luis Potosi plates TN-82662 (reported stolen in Naranjos, Veracruz). Following his arrest, Valdez was identified as a native of El Higo, Veracruz. He also confessed to working under Escobar, and informed police that he served as a lookout.
Héctor SÁNCHEZ Robles was arrested driving a white 2009 Chevrolet Silveradowith Veracruz plates XN-09751 (reported stolen in Tantoyuca, Veracruz). Following his arrest, Sanchez was identified as a native of El Higo, Veracruz. His role within Los Zetas was to transport and deliver stolen vehicles.
Comment: Over the course of the last six months, authorities in the state of Hidalgo have arrested 228 individuals linked to organized crime activity.
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Spanish Source: http://hidalgo.milenio.com/cdb/doc/noticias2011/46f733b722786809300b7917bc97ec2d?quicktabs_1=0;
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GUERRERO SSP to Improve Security Measures in Tourist Areas of Acapulco, Guerrero – 04 October 2011 The SSP reported that 200 security cameras will be installed in popular tourist areas within Acapulco [16.864677,- 99.882202], Guerrero. At this point, 70 security cameras have already been installed, with the end goal of installing 1,000.
Ramon Almonte Borja, the SSP Secretariat, explained that in addition to increasing the number of security cameras, images captured by the C-4 security system will be shared with the IX Military Region, VIII Naval Region, and the Federal Preventive Police to improve the response time of authorities.
Spanish Source: http://www.milenio.com/cdb/doc/noticias2011/5bd958fe1809546449f6d0fbb7ee48ab
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VERACRUZ Marines Dismantle Network of Police Officers Working at the Service of Los Zetas in Veracruz – 04 October 2011 Two operations conducted by marines led to the arrest of nine fugitives and the dismantling of a network of police officers working at the service of Los Zetas in Veracruz. Details regarding these operations were reported as follows:
Operation One: On 19 September 2011, a citizen‟s tip led Marines to a location in the Rancho Viejo neighborhood of [18.783304,-97.204199] Nogales, Veracruz. Once at the location, Marines arrested 14 individuals; nine of which were identified as inmates that escaped from a Social Rehabilitation Center in Veracruz with the help of Los Zetas. Investigators speculate that Los Zetas targeted these prisoners in an effort to recruit them into their criminal organization. Those inmates now police custody were identified as: Luis EDUARDO Martínez, aka El Beba José Francisco KURG Ortiz, aka El Javier Javier CALDERÓN Rodríguez, aka El Kico Jorge ROMERO García
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Jaime SÁNCHEZ Aguilar, aka El Jimy Luis Enrique PINEDO Orozco Mario Elías ROSAS Ortiz, aka El Burra Carlos BRETÓN Salinas, aka El Panzón Miguel Ángel CARMONA Román
In addition to the inmates mentioned above, five Los Zetas operators were arrested in the same operation and identified as: Silverio BÁEZ Trujillo, aka El Chivo, in charge of taking care of the above listed men Gerardo BÁEZ Pérez, aka El Gera, in charge of taking care of the above listed men Juan RAMOS Urena, aka El Chino Jose Luis PONCE Nava Armando GUTIERREZ Castillo
Operation Two: A second operation carried out in five separate municipalities in Veracruz led to the arrest of 18 police officers allegedly operating at the service of Los Zetas. The arrests were carried out after Víctor OSORIO Santacruz, aka El Pantera, a Cuidad Mendoza Municipal Police Commander was caught with $(MXN) 10,000 pesos and a payroll ledger containing the names police and commanders from different municipalities working at the service of Los Zetas. Further investigations revealed that Santacruz served as a liaison between police and that he directed operations in support of Los Zetas in the region. Those individuals arrested in during this operation were identified as:
In Ciudad Mendoza [18.803618,-97.179565] Alberto PAREDES Romero, Second Mobile Group Inspector In Acultzingo [18.715845,-97.310028] José Gorgonio LUGO Barojas, Commander René ÁLVAREZ de la Rosa, Supervisor José Gavino HERNÁNDEZ Reyes Juan Gabriel NAVARRO del Campo Sergio PÉREZ Rivera Luis Alfonso AGUILAR Mora In Huiloapan [18.828966,-97.124634] Bernardo MARÍN Martínez, First Commander Fabián HERNÁNDEZ Santiago Alejandro MARÍN Martínez Vitaliano DE LA CRUZ Rodríguez Octavio NIEVES Morales José Domingo RODRÍGUEZ Arenas Heriberto MARCIAL Mora In Rafael Delgado [18.811418,-97.073135] Armando AREDO de Jesús, First Commander Juan Carlos Gutiérrez Castillo UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Page 8
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In Río Blanco [18.836765,-97.140427] Víctor Osorio Santacruz, Commander José Aurelio RÍOS Avendaño, Commander
Following their arrests, these police officers stated that they were paid salaries ranging from $(MXN) 2,000 to $(MXN) 10,000 pesos per month for their services.
Comment: It was reported that Commander Osorio was initially arrested after he was caught consuming alcohol in uniform in a public domain.
Spanish Source: http://www.historiasdelnarco.com/2011/10/marina-desarticula-red-de-policias-que.html
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JALISCO PGJE Officers Arrest Six Los Zetas Operators to Include a 19-Year-Old Female Sicario in Jalisco – 04 October 2011 PGJE officers arrested six Los Zetas operators in Jalisco. The individuals now in police custody were identified as follows: Paola Estefania MEDINA Salas, 19, aka La Chucky. After questioning, she confessed to having participated in nine murders and having served as an informant during the grenade attack conducted against the Butter Club located on Lopez Mateos Avenue. This attack left six dead and 30 wounded. Jesus Alberto GARCIA Fernandez, aka El Chuy, from Laredo, Tamaulipas Juan Artemio RICO Saucedo, 29, aka El Nijuas, from Salinas, Coahuila Estaban GONZALEZ Ortiz, 27, from Leon, Guanajuato Jessy PEREZ Sanchez, 19, from Coahuila Miguel Angel RODRIGUEZ Ortega, 36, from Fresnillo, Zacatecas
Authorities have linked the above mentioned individuals to the murders of at least 12 individuals. Those items seized following the conclusion of this operation included 12 weapons (AR-15s and AK-47s), holsters, and more than 600 rounds of ammunition.
Spanish Source: http://www.proceso.com.mx/?p=283231 Photo Source: http://www.eldiariodechihuahua.mx/notas.php?f=2011/10/04&id=ba659fe93c67f7fd99ffc1dd045e747c
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MICHOACAN Results of Operations Conducted against La Familia Michoacana and Los Caballeros Templarios in Michoacan – 05 October 2011 The following are the results of operations conducted by federal police against La Familia Michoacana and Los Caballeros Templarios between December 2006 and September 2011 in Michoacan: Arrested 2,825 individuals Seized: o More than 15 metric tons of marijuana o 1,390 weapons o 163,804 rounds of ammunition o 1,090 vehicles o 1,284 stolen vehicles o 229 fragmentation grenades o More than 4.7 million counterfeit items o 3,170 magazines o More than $(MXN) 5.2 million o More than $(USD) 1.2 million
Comment: Los Caballeros Templarios became operational in January of 2011.
Spanish Source: http://www.ssp.gob.mx/portalWebApp/appmanager/portal/desk?_nfpb=true&_windowLabel=portlet_1_1 &portlet_1_1_actionOverride=%2Fboletines%2FDetalleBoletin&portlet_1_1id=922228
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AGUASCALIENTES Thirteen Police Officers Working at the Service of La Oficina Arrested in Aguascalientes – 04 October2011 On 04 October 2011, 17 individuals to include 13 police officers were arrested for their role in providing support to the criminal organization known as La Oficina in Aguascalientes. For their participation in providing information and carrying out murders, these individuals were paid a weekly salary of $(MXN) 1,500 pesos. Those active municipal police now in custody were identified as: Alfredo ESCOBEDO Azpeitia
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Christian René LEOS Velázquez. In addition to working as an officer, he also served as a bodyguard for Martin Orozco Sandoval, a PAN Mayoral candidate. José Alfredo MERCADO Negrete Roberto Carlos GARCÍA Leyva José BECERRA Hernández Daniel DURÓN Durón, aka El Panda Claudia Verónica CARRILLO Vaquera, aka La Vaquera. At the time of her arrest, she was at her home listening to police radio frequencies. Genaro MACÍAS Zapata, aka El Zapata Juan Miguel MELCHOR Tiscareño León SERNA González Javier González Luna Obed SALINAS Antonio Juan Carlos ZAMORANO Arena Those former municipal police officers now in custody were identified as: Maricela SÁNCHEZ Muñoz, aka La Mary/La Amiga María Luisa BERMEJO López, arrested with a Motorola radio Salvador RANGEL Pérez, aka El Hummer Pablo RÍOS Velázquez, aka El Azul These individuals are suspected in participating in the murder of the following individuals: José Luis Marmolejo Díaz, municipal police officer Jesús Camilo Reyes Gutiérrez, municipal police officer Jesús Martín Ortiz Arias, municipal police officer Héctor Alvarez Sandoval, municipal police officer Antonio Flores Salas, municipal police officer David Alba Ramírez, municipal police officer Gerardo Medina Pérez, municipal police officer Raúl Olvera Medina, municipal police officer Samuel Servín Díaz, municipal police officer Dionisio Palos Valadez Gustavo Adolfo Vera Padilla José de Jesús Lara de la Cruz Roberto Nicolás Montoya Espinoza, aka El Grillo José Eduardo Saucedo Saucedo Adán Rafael Jiménez Beltrán, aka El Galán Víctor Dávila Martínez Oscar David Lomelí Bernal Josué Chávez Zamorano Rafael Rodríguez de Alba Enrique Antonio Torres Martín
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Spanish Source: http://noticieroelcirco.blogspot.com/2011/10/los-policias-municipales-trabajaban.html
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Five Los Zetas Operators Arrested in Cosio, Aguascalientes – 06 October 2011 On 05 October 2011, authorities set up a checkpoint after receiving a report regarding five Los Zetas operators that had stolen vehicle from a family in Cosio, Aguascalientes. Those individuals arrested in conjuction with this operation were identified as: Ricardo Nieves VALADEZ Macías, 21. His home address was identified as 122 Paraiso Street in the Los Cedros neighborhood of Aguascalientes. Rafael PALOS Ruiz, 27. His home address was identified as 120 Recinto Cactus Street Valle de los Cactus neighborhood of Aguascalientes. Adrián VALENZUELA Chavez, 27, native of Zacatecas. Juan Luis GAYTÁN Romo, 17, native of Trancoso, Zacatecas. Adán Emmanuel GUERRERO Rodríguez, 19, a native of Monclova, Coahuila. Those items seized from these individuals following their arrests were identified as: Three stolen vehicles to include: o 1 white 2009 Dodge Ram 2500 pickup with Zacatecas plates ZG-89-289 o 1 red 2010 Nissan Frontier pickup with no plates o 1 red Ford Lobo with Aguascalientes plate AC-94-678 Multiple radio communications sets Tools to include shovels
After searching the vehicles, authorities discovered two kidnapping victims in the back of the Dodge Ram that were allegedly kidnapped from Las Plumas near Guadalupe, Zacatecas in a forced recruitment effort. These same individuals stated that during the kidnapping, the Los Zetas operators were in constant communication with an individual nicknamed Aries.
Spanish Source: http://www.lapoliciaca.com/nota-roja/intenso-operativo-al-norte-del-estado-para-detener- a-5-zetas/; http://noticieroelcirco.blogspot.com/2011/10/militares-capturaron-5-zetas.html; http://www.lapoliciaca.com/nota-roja/ejercito-y-estatales-detienen-a-cinco-zetas-en-cosio/
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