The Sun [9] Local police rounded up migrants traveling by bus and handed them over to the gang. There are a handful of drug cartels in Mexico, most of which run almost like corporations. The two men who were also gunned down have been identified as Cruz Felipe Pizana Saldivar and Angel Carrizales Amaya. A rival of the Sinaloa cartel, the Juarez group has been responsible for thousands of murders across its territory, which included 21 states at the height of its power. WebMarciano 'Chano' Millan Vasquez, 34, was jailed in San Antonio, Texas, for 29 killings carried out for notorious northern Mexican gang Los Zetas between 2009 and 2015, as well as Inside The Brutal 2011 San Fernando Massacre That Left 193 Dead De Leon will serve time in jail after pleading guilty to a marijuana charge. As the two factions continue their fierce fighting, gunmen from the two groups have taken to social media and banners to deliver threats to each other. Some had been killed by sledgehammer. The 2011 San Fernando Massacre was both disturbing and, tragically, far from a one-off occurrence. Authorities had been notified of missing passengers from Highway 101 on May 24 and May 29, with soldiers following a tip that led them to the La Joya ranch a few miles off the road. These are the top ten distressing facts about Los Zetas you dont want to know. Largely funded by the international drug trade, Mexican cartels wield military-grade weapons in firefights with Mexicos Armed Forces that often leave collateral damage. WebCartel: Los Zetas Killed: Oct. 7, 2012 Lazcano was the leader of the Los Zetas cartel. Promotional materials distributed by your outlet, including all social media work, must include cites for the Observer and our reporter. We rely on the generosity of our readers who believe that this work is important. He made a mistake in his greedbelieving he was invincible and untouchable. The CJNG split from the Sinaloa Cartel after the killing of Ignacio Coronel, a capo whose death caused a power vacuum(via Insight Crime). In 2018, analystParker Asmann dubbed the Sinaloa Cartel "Mexico's top crime group," despite El Chapo's arrest, trial and eventual detention in the United States. With countless reports emerging of mayors and cops across Mexico collaborating with the cartels, it appears tragically unsurprising that many who knew the truth were either put into hiding or killed to keep them quiet. 330 76 comments Best Add a Comment ComfortableSoup5 2 yr. ago According to World Atlas, Tijuana had the highest homicide rate in the world in 2020, with 138 murder per 100,000 residents. By the early 1990s, Medellin was the most violent city not just in Colombia but the entire world, and much of that was because of the Medellin cartel's war with the government (via Rapid Transition). The eventual split between the groups was described by theCongressional Research Serviceas"most violent in the history of organized crime in Mexico. Cartel: Los Zetas Melissa del Bosque joined the Texas Observer staff in 2008. Mainly, Grayson notes a Zetalisation starting to occur among the other cartels. Prosecutors will not seek the death penalty. // Mail Online Videos: Top News & Viral Videos, Clips & Footage Learn more about Friends of the NewsHour. As the cartel made connections across Mexico and the world, their death toll increased exponentially. However, Insight Crime suggests that the large traditional cartels may be over as Mexico's criminal underworld becomes increasingly fragmented and scattershot. Violence committed by the Juarez cartel is rife, especially from its La Linea faction, which has fighting the Sinaloa in Chihuahua City, contributing many deaths to the city's high 2020 murder rate (via FOX59). He said that they spoke over the phone every day. Zetas It was one of the deadliest attacks ever on Mexican The two claimed credible fear, telling agents that they feared for their lives if they were to stay in Mexico. Moreover, the extremely violent gang has made connections and collaborated with U.S. gangs all over the country since 2010. The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Escobar's luck ran out on December 2, 1993, when he was gunned down as part of a joint U.S.-Colombia effort. CJNG have also committed several assassinations, including the June 2020 murder of Jalisco judge Uriel Villegas Ortiz and his wifeVernica, who were shot some 20 times, according to a El Pais report. The macabre bloodsport was detailed in The Houston Chronicle. In the 1990s, the aforementioned Cali cartel took the mantle from their Medellin rivals, becoming the most powerful cartel in the world. WebAlso dumbass the bitch on the far right was white "la cholla" or something she was called and she is was brutal as fuck. De Leon said that he didn't voluntarily start working with the cartel; he was kidnapped and forced to participate. Put in pairs and given sledgehammers, they were forced to fight each other. In April 2015, the group killed 15 police officers just weeks after killing five federal officers, which involved the use ofmachine guns and grenade launchers. Sadism was their brand. Since 2011, there have been numerous scandals exposing the collusion between politicians and drug cartels. And these lives are often innocent civilians caught up in the dreadful violence and corruption, such as the shootout in Tulum, which killed two tourists and injured three more, according toThe Guardian. Insight Crime catalogued the numerous violent acts of this period, including the cartel's failed assassination of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman in 1993, which went awry when the gunmen erroneously targeted the car of a Catholic cardinal, shooting him to death. Former governor Humberto Moreira was also singled out by former Mexican President Felipe Calderon has having protected Los Zetas in his state. It was the second time in eight months that the town of 57,000 in the border state of Tamaulipas had been the site of mass graves. Led by the infamous Pablo Escobar, the Medellin cartel is said to have killed thousands of people, including three Colombian presidential candidates, many judges and over 1,000 police officers (via Biography). This is because La Familia styled itself as the people's cartel by performing social work and employing civilians, which won both popularity and new recruits. Officials are still counting the dead, but, as of this writing, the bodies numbered nearly 200. Consequently, several Mexican cities such as Los Cabos, Tijuana, and Acapulco have recorded some of the highest murder rates in the world, according toStatista. The women have been identified as Lourdes Gregorio Garcia Amaya from Texas, Raymunda Amaya Contreras, Maria Del Rosario Carrizales Amaya, Griselda Carrizales Amaya and Maria Cirila Contreras Garcia. [6] Mexican drug cartels are currently operating in 47 countries around the world, including Colombia, Guatemala, and others. In 2015, U.S. law enforcement discovered a marijuana field in Texas with a market value of $2 million. During the trial, witnesses said he had hacked apart his victims with an axe and burned their bodies in barrels, according to the San Antonio Express-News. GRAPHIC: Los Zetas Cartel Kill U.S. Woman and 2 Daughters In the same month, heavily armed gunmen fired upon Omar Garcia Harfuch, Mexico City's public security secretary, injuring him and killing two bodyguards and a passerby (via Insight Crime). CJNG's battles with the Los Zetas and CRSL cartels are similarly brutal. 2021 The Texas Observer. Islas suspects the kidnappings and brutal murders are a warning to smugglers who havent paid their dues to the Zetas. Even the Sinaloas are now decapitating people, he said. Sadist Los Zetas Cartel Set Brutal Standard in Drug War De Leon is now cooperating with authorities. The fledgling cartel were trained by members of Los Zetas, yet they would turn on their mentors because of local resentment to Zetas' methamphetamine business. The traditional cartels buy off politicians, establish traffic routes for smuggling and make money. WARNING GRAPHIC: The Most Brutal Murders Linked to El Chapo The heartless drug lord is claimed to have personally killed 2,000 people, in addition to ordering and supervising thousands of other murders. In the early 1990s, El Chapo steered the Sinaloa Cartel to dominance through his use of tunnel smuggling and widespread bribes. Since then, BLO members have either been killed, jailed or defected to new splinter groups, such as the Guerreros Unidos and Los Rojos, which dabble in extortion, kidnapping and lethal violence. They told me to stop doing that," Reyna said in court. Partners must notify. On Aug. 24, 2010, however, Mexican Armed Forces unearthed the bodies of 72 undocumented immigrants who were simply executed. She was known for being the crazy white one. The Los Zetas cartel gunmen even executed the family dog. Several other executions and attacks during the weekend brought the total number of casualties to 19 and close to 24 wounded by gunfire. Then, in December 2015, Insider reported that La Familia founderCarlos Rosales Mendoza was found dead baring torture wounds. The rest of us agreed.". With population of 60,000, San Fernando is near the Texas border and epitomizes cartel carnage. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia, The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Reporter-producer Larisa Epatko contributed to this report. However, the Gulf remains entrenched in theirTamaulipas stronghold, which provides steady revenue from narcotics and migrant smuggling (via Insight Crime). SAN ANTONIO -- A father whose son went missing in 2011 took the stand Wednesday in the federal trial of an alleged war commander for Los Zetas drug cartel. Moraless most preferred method of killing was to stuff victims in oil barrels and set them ablaze. After learning about the 2011 San Fernando Massacre, take a look at 33 photos of the Mexican drug war. This article was written by M.A. Initially, the group was led by Osiel Crdenas Guilln, who recruited around 30 alumni from Mexico's special forces. Los Zetas is a criminal gang that manufactures and smuggles illegal drugs like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, ecstasy, and marijuana, among others. Men were beaten, hacked apart, flung from windows, hanged, and decapitated. The kidnapping and murder of the SEIDO agents resembles the type of actions of another infamous Mexican crime group, the Zetas. In this pivotal year, Zetas occupied territory in 405 Mexican municipalities, which Insight Crime found was more than double that of their biggest rivals. Elizabeth Shell. Countries militaries are dedicated to defense from external aggression and the protection of peoples lives and properties. Velazquez started out stealing cars in his hometown of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and was jailed there. US attorney Richard L Durbin Jr told the court in San Antonio, Texas, the killer had acted "without mercy or compunction". The Horrific True Story Of The 2011 San Fernando Massacre. Its origins are traced toEl Milenio, a group that was allied to the Tijuana cartel. The Shrinking actor talks mental health, being queer, and why the Lone Star State is the perfect home for his new play Silver Foxes. Mexican government security spokesman Eduardo Sanchez (C) speaks during a press conference, accompanied by Mexican Navy General Jorge Victor (L) and Mexican Army General Martin Terrones (R) to present details of the military operation in which Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, the alleged drug lord behind the cartel Los Zetas, was arrested. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Justicedefines cartels as, "large, highly sophisticated organizations composed of multiple drug trafficking organizations (DTOs)and cells with specific assignments such as drug transportation, security/enforcement, or money laundering.". The cartel's influence has declined like many of its fragmenting peers, but their power remains strong inCiudad Jurez and the Valle de Jurez, which are key trafficking locations. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. The most dramatic episode of the weekend carnage took place on Saturday morning when gunmen with one faction of the Los Zetas cartel known as the Cartel Del Noreste burst into a home in order to murder four children, five women and two men. In the end, the legacy of the 2011 San Fernando Massacre is one of blood money, corruption, and wanton murder. One official said, "The valley is the most dangerous region in Colombia in terms of drug violence. Groups like Los Zetas have also been known to operate abroad, buying raw materials from Argentina and operating in Asian countries like Malaysia. [2] It is a fact that some of the cartels initial members were elite Mexican troops who were trained in the early 1990s by Americas 7th Special Forces Group. Facebook beheading video: Who was Mexico's Jane Doe? - BBC To make matters worse, the gang is also into migrant smuggling. He was arrested by the Mexican Navy in 2012. The two cartels enjoyed over a decade of business until the late 1990s, when the Gulf cartel had become self-sufficient. Then come the Zetas, with no background in narcotics, and they start chopping peoples heads off, Grayson said. Exposed by a Zetas member under a pseudonym, the details of the bus vanishings remain disputed. Only in 2014 was this dynamic officially exposed in a memo from the Mexico Attorney Generals Office on the 2010 San Fernando Massacre, the 2011 San Fernando Massacre, and the recovery of 49 human torsos in 2012. He was recruited to Los Zetas, where he rose to commander. The rest of the video is a gruesome 40 seconds of cold-blooded murder, which caused international controversy recently when it was posted on Facebook. The rest of the video is a gruesome 40 seconds of cold-blooded murder, which caused international controversy recently when it was posted on Facebook. When Osiel Cardenas Guillen took over as the leader of the Gulf Cartel, it was in the midst of a violent turf war. That's right the Wight bitch was the bad one and cut off heads with axes with her own hands. In August 2010, the gang massacred 72 kidnapped migrants at a remote ranch in Northeastern Mexico after they refused to pay a ransom for their release or take jobs as hit men. The gang often kidnaps and holds poor migrants who try to operate outside the system for ransom. He said that the Zetas commanders ordered the killings because there was a government informant in the group. But Los Zetas stands out. It had only been a year since officials in the Mexican city found 72 victims of the Los Zetas drug cartel buried in the dirt. Los Zetas called Mexico's most dangerous drug cartel Then, learn about the Mexican boys forced to eat human flesh as a cartel initiation. Los Zetass status as the largest drug cartel in Mexico carries additional implications. Specific forms of torture are discussed as well as the most likely victims and perpetrators. This savagery is nothing new. Inside The Brutal 1955 Murder Of 14-Year-Old Emmett Till That Galvanized The Civil Rights Movement, 101-Year-Old Woman Who Began Trapping Lobster Before The Great Depression Has No Plans To Retire, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch, Following the 2011 San Fernando Massacre, Federal Highway 101 was colloquially dubbed the highway of death or the devils road.. The Gulf's cocaine business started when they brokered a deal with the Cali cartel, which was looking for new routes from Colombia to the United States. Los Zetas control a wide swathe of territory ranging from the Texas border to Guatemala. Mexico's largest and most powerful drug gangs are the Zetas and the Sinaloa cartel. Trevino Morales became head of the Los Zetas cartel after the death of long-time leader Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano in October 2012. One former member of the cartel told the court Millan-Vasquez had taken part in a 2011 massacre in which up to 300 people were allegedly kidnapped, with many never seen again. The office's purpose was to collect debts from Escobar's extensive trafficking network. WebIn 2010, the Zetas killed 72 undocumented immigrant workers in the San Fernando massacre. At this juncture, it is safe and reasonable to conclude that Los Zetas is one of the biggest headaches of the American people. 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Site made in collaboration with CMYK. WebThe Los Zetas used improvised weapons like knives, rocks, and burning mattresses. Los Zetas is indeed the worst Mexican drug cartel in history. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Marciano Millan-Vasquez 'brutally murdered anyone and everyone as it suited him and his cartel', Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. At least two jurors broke down in tears as they listened to Jorge De Leon Navarro describe how Los Zetas killed their prisoners. During their enforcer period, theUS Drug Enforcement Agency(DEA) described Los Zetas as perhaps "the most technologically advanced, sophisticated and violent of these paramilitary enforcement groups.". They picked us up and told us we had to work for someone, for Los Zetas, De Leon said in court. It was around this time that the group established the aforementioned Los Zetas, a paramilitary force that brought a new organized violence to the international drug trade. Facebook beheading video: Who was Mexico's Jane Doe? Jalisco New Generation, often referred to as CJNG, is another Mexican cartel that emerged in 2010. This is a unique and distressing fact about the deadly gang. Favors were done under threat of death, while higher-ranking officials were paid off. About two dozen have been captured or killed, including some from Los Zetas: Ivan Velazquez Caballero (aka El Taliban) He frequently supervised killing experiments wherein new recruits were ordered to kill people with a machete or sledgehammer. [8] Los Zetas has been linked to several other mass murders in Mexico. Gradually, the BLO began to weaken in this battle of attrition, losing many members to jail or death. Among these provincial traders and smugglers wasJoaqun Guzmn Loera, better known as "El Chapo.". Zetas Jurors broke down in tears when De Leon described a mother and father being pulled by their hair and forced to watch their 6-year-old daughter dismembered alive before they faced the same, brutal death. They were believed to have been killed for refusing to pay a ransom or join the The group was originally made up of 34 Mexican Special Forces soldiers. Human smugglers often use buses to transport migrants north to the Texas-Mexico border. The Zetas have set a price for allowing smugglers to transport migrants into the United States, and the cartel expects its cut, Islas says. In fact, CNNreported that Cali mobsters even invested in four 500-pound bombs, which they intended to somehow drop on Pablo Escobar. Jair Cabrera/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesTributes to the 2011 San Fernando Massacre. The gunmen injured 4 others in the attack. WebCIUDAD VICTORIA, Tamaulipas -- Gunmen with the Los Zetas cartel butchered close to 20 victims over the weekend, three of those victims were Texas residents who had been