Latest news with #CallumRobinson
ABC News
2 days ago
- ABC News
Mexico's brutal Sinaloa cartel is at war with itself as El Chapo's son strikes a deal with the US
For more than a year, Mexican authorities said there was no reason to think criminal cartels were linked to the shooting deaths of Australian surfers Jake and Callum Robinson. Expert observers had immediate doubts. The brothers were shot in the head, and their car and campsite were torched, in an area rife with cartel violence. But the cartel link wasn't clear until a court document revealed a local prison boss had later raised concerns about two inmates. They were then moved to a higher security jail because of "their affiliation with criminal groups linked to the Sinaloa cartel". Some parts of the document were redacted, but the ABC this week confirmed those inmates were Jesús Gerardo and Irineo Francisco — two of the four people accused of the Robinson brothers' murders. (Their surnames are withheld.) As these details were coming to light, the Sinaloa cartel was coming under new scrutiny in the US. The youngest son of "El Chapo", the Mexican crime lord who once led the cartel, has just made a deal with American prosecutors, almost two years after being extradited to Chicago. Ovidio Guzmán López, or "El Ratón", had inherited control of parts of the cartel when his father was jailed for life in the US in 2019. With his three older brothers, he led "Los Chapitos" — described as a "powerful, hyperviolent faction of the Sinaloa cartel at the forefront of fentanyl trafficking" by the US government. Under the plea deal, El Ratón admitted to drug-trafficking and other crimes, and forfeited up to $US80 million in assets. He also agreed to spill the secrets of the Sinaloa cartel — and likely the corrupt officials protecting it — to help US law enforcement bring it down. The earliest iteration of the Sinaloa cartel sprung up in the 1960s in the north-western Mexican state of Sinaloa. It is now considered the dominant cartel along much of the west coast. The US government says it makes billions by flooding American streets with fentanyl and other drugs. And it is increasingly targeting Australia's lucrative methamphetamine and cocaine markets with the help of outlaw motorcycle gangs, authorities believe. But it is also "heavily diversified" beyond drug-trafficking, says Nathan Jones, an expert on Mexico's cartels from Sam Houston State University in Texas. "One of the big umbrella crimes is extortion — extorting local businesses, taking over local markets," he says. "The avocado industry, the seafood industry, illegal water sales in drought-stricken northern regions … they're touching everything." Corruption in government and law enforcement has helped the cartel spread its reach. But in recent years, its status as Mexico's biggest and most powerful has been challenged by the rise of a rival known as the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, or just Jalisco. "There's been this debate for the last 10 years over who is bigger, the Cartel de Jalisco or the Sinaloa cartel," Dr Jones says. "At this point it's pretty clear — we're going to say it's the Cartel de Jalisco." One big reason for that is a bloody factional war that's been tearing the Sinaloa cartel apart. For a long time, El Chapo — real name Joaquín Guzmán — led the Sinaloa cartel alongside Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. When El Chapo was arrested in 2016, it left his four sons to share control of the cartel with El Mayo. But El Chapo's sons turned on El Mayo. A year ago, Joaquín Guzmán López — the son known as "El Güero Moreno" — delivered El Mayo straight into the hands of American law enforcement. Both El Mayo and El Güero Moreno were arrested on a tarmac in Texas after flying in on a private jet. It is still not totally clear how El Mayo ended up on the plane. Early reports suggested he was duped into thinking he was going to see real estate in northern Mexico. But through his lawyer, El Mayo has said he was ambushed by six men in military uniforms, who tied him up, took him to a landing strip and forced him onto the plane. It means two of El Chapo's sons are in US custody, as well as El Mayo. And the sons' betrayal of El Mayo unleashed an all-out war between the Sinaloa cartel's two big factions — the sons' Los Chapitos faction and the El Mayo faction. "That is turning into a bloody dispute that has surged violence in [the state of] Sinaloa for the last year," Dr Jones says. Parts of Sinaloa, including the capital, Culiacan, are said to be like war zones. An NPR report this month said more than 1,000 people had been killed, and another 1,000 were missing, amid "nearly daily gun battles" on city streets. There is now evidence the Los Chapitos faction is forming an alliance with the rival Jalisco cartel, Dr Jones says. "The Chapitos, as best we can tell, have formed an alliance with [Jalisco] to kind of counterbalance against the El Mayo faction," he says. "So it means it's very hard now to talk about the Sinaloa cartel as a coherent entity." Mexico's cartels do not often target tourists, because it can put them in the glare of unwanted international attention. An attack on an American traveller last October, almost six months after the Robinson brothers were killed, is a case in point. Veteran US Marine Nicholas Quets, 31, was killed by Sinaloa cartel members near the town of Caborca. It is in the state of Sonora, east of Baja California, where the Australian surfers were killed. Like the Robinson brothers, Quets was travelling in a pick-up truck. The US Department of Homeland Security says he "encountered a Sinaloa cartel checkpoint" while on his way to the beach resort city of Puerto Peñasco. "These cartel members attempted to steal his pick-up truck before shooting him in the back through his heart," a Homeland Security statement said. On March 31, the US government used what would have been Quets's 32nd birthday to announce new sanctions on groups suspected of money laundering for the Sinaloa cartel. The sanctions are among a string of measures taken by the Trump administration to ratchet up pressure on Mexico's cartels, and on the Mexican government to crack down on them. The US has also listed the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organisations, and last month announced $US10 million rewards for the capture of El Chapo's two fugitive sons. His other two sons remain in US custody. The plea deal taken by the youngest, El Ratón, could help him avoid an otherwise-likely life sentence. And his brother, El Güero Moreno, has also reportedly been negotiating a similar deal since flying into the US with El Mayo. The US sees the capture and capitulation of the brothers as a big win in its war on the cartels. "So much blood and violence lay with the Guzmán family," Homeland Security special agent Ray Rede said. "No more." It is not clear exactly how the Sinaloa cartel is allegedly connected to the men accused of murdering the Robinson brothers last year. A translation of the court document that revealed the link says: "Their continued presence at the local penitentiary centre poses a threat to its safety and governance, as they have been identified as involved in smuggling substances on behalf of the Paisas gang". It also says they "belong to a criminal group affiliated with the Sinaloa cartel". The court process for Jesús Gerardo and Irineo Francisco, and two co-accused, has only just begun. It is set to resume at another hearing on Friday.
ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
Alleged cartel links revealed as surfers' murder case delayed
Two men charged with the murders of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson in Mexico have been transferred to a maximum-security prison due to their alleged ties to organised crime, court documents have revealed. A judge has delayed two planned hearings and the matter is now due to return to court next week.
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Perth Now
How notorious cartel is linked to murder of Perth brothers
Two of the men accused of murdering Perth brothers Jake and Callum Robinson in Mexico have alleged links to one of Mexico's most feared cartels, court documents show. Jesús Gerardo and Irineo Francisco have been transferred to Mexico's maximum-security 'El Hongo' prison due to their alleged ties to the notoriously violent Sinaloa cartel, according to the ABC. Two other co-accused, Ángel Jesús and Ari Gisell, reportedly do not appear to have any links to the cartel. Mr Gerardo and Mr Francisco's alleged links to the cartel, which earlier this year was designated a terror group by the Trump administration, was revealed in court documents. All four accused faced court in Esenda, Mexico, overnight on Friday, Perth time, with the parents of the Robinson brothers dialling into the proceedings by video video-link. Brothers Jesús Gerardo Garcia Cota and Cristian Alejandro García. Credit: Unknown / Supplied The new cartel claims came to light after prosecutor Miguel Ángel Gaxiola Rodríguez said that despite the horrific killings occurring in an area notorious for cartel activity and violence, the most likely reason for the murders was tyre theft. The brothers had been camping in a remote part of northern Mexico with their American friend Carter Rhoad when they were each shot in the head in April last year. Their bodies were then callously dumped in a 15-metre-deep well in Baja California. A fourth, unrelated body was also found in the same location. All four defendants are charged with the aggravated homicide of the surfers from Perth and their American friend, Carter Rhoad. Callum Robinson. Credit: Georgina Noack / Instagram / emily_livia The ABC reported court documents showed Mr Gerardo and Mr Francisco were transferred from a local prison in the city of Ensenada in August, after the court found they 'require special security measures given that penitentiary authorities have identified them as members of criminal groups affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel'. The document also said one defendant 'claimed within the detention centre population that he can escape confinement at any time he chooses, in addition to participating in the use of prohibited substances on behalf of the gang known as 'Los Paisas'. Lawyers for the accused men appealed the transfer decision, but two courts upheld the decision saying they were satisfied the men had ties to criminal groups operating in service of the cartel. The court of appeals document said both men had 'high criminal capacity, high aggressiveness, emotional detachment, high egocentricity, and marked emotional instability'. Since their arrests, a court was told Gerardo — who was the first to be taken into custody — had allegedly confessed to his then-partner, showing her the allegedly stolen tyres and then allegedly telling her: 'I up three gringos'. The case will return to court on July 25.
ABC News
4 days ago
- ABC News
Jake and Callum Robinson's accused killers linked to Mexican cartel, court document says
Two men charged with the murders of Australian brothers Jake and Callum Robinson in Mexico have been transferred to a maximum-security prison due to their alleged ties to organised crime, court documents have revealed. In the coming hours, a Mexican court is expected to hear more details about the high-profile murder case, in which the surfers from Perth and their American friend, Carter Rhoad, were killed at their campsite while on a road trip in remote northern Mexico. The men were shot dead in Baja California, a state of Mexico known for violent cartel activity that often targets innocent victims. It prompted early speculation about criminal cartel involvement. Local authorities said they believed it was a robbery gone wrong and there was no evidence of cartel links. But documents published by the court reveal for the first time that two of the accused killers have alleged links to the notoriously violent Sinaloa cartel, which earlier this year was designated a terror group by the Trump administration. According to an appeals court decision from last year, the two men — Jesús Gerardo and Irineo Francisco — were moved from a local prison in the city of Ensenada to "El Hongo" a high-security desert facility more than 100 kilometres away. The transfer was ordered last August after the court found the men "require special security measures given that penitentiary authorities have identified them as members of criminal groups affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel". One of the defendants had "claimed within the detention centre population that he can escape confinement at any time he chooses, in addition to participating in the use of prohibited substances on behalf of the gang known as 'Los Paisas'", the documents say. Lawyers for the accused opposed the transfer, but two courts upheld the decision. The documents said both courts were satisfied that the men had connections to criminal groups operating in service of the cartel. The courts also accepted evidence from prison authorities that the men posed a significant security and governance risk at the Ensenada facility. The court of appeals noted that both men had "high criminal capacity, high aggressiveness, emotional detachment, high egocentricity, and marked emotional instability". The appeals court decision was released online through the Baja California court's transparency process. Although the names were blacked out, the ABC was able to identify the suspects in a section of the document that was not properly redacted. The men's surnames have been withheld under Mexican legal conventions. Jake Robinson, a 31-year-old doctor, was due to start a job at Geelong Hospital after visiting his brother Callum, 32, who had been living in the US for 12 years. They were reported missing in late April while travelling with Carter Rhoad, 33, after losing contact with their family in Australia and failing to check into their Airbnb. Search teams discovered their bodies several days later. Local authorities initially said there was no evidence of a cartel connection and did not publicly identify the suspects as gang members. The newly released court documents are the first to officially link two of the accused to organised crime. This supports the theory of former Ensenada police director Jesús Luna Lezama, who previously told the ABC the murders bore "the hallmarks of organised crime". Lead prosecutor Miguel Ángel Gaxiola Rodríguez maintains that the alleged killers' primary motive was to steal the tyres from the victims' vehicle. However, in a new interview ahead of today's court hearing, Mr Lezama said he continued to believe that the brutality of the crimes suggested gang involvement. "What started as a minor crime — car theft — turned into forced disappearance and the murder of three people, in a way that closely resembles the behaviour of organised crime groups," he told the ABC. Investigators said all three victims were executed with a single gunshot to the head before their bodies were dumped in a well, where the body of a local farmer was also found. The brothers' burnt-out car was dumped on a ranch, with its tyres missing. Their campsite was also burnt out. "It could have been an isolated incident, not necessarily directed by cartel leadership," Mr Lezama said. "These groups often avoid drawing attention from authorities." He suggests federal authorities should consider taking over the investigation. "Given the suspects' cartel ties, federal oversight may be warranted — not just local judges, but federal ones," he said. "That's why it's important they remain in federal detention centres." The two men, along with co-accused Ángel Jesús, face charges of aggravated homicide, aggravated robbery, violent robbery, grand theft auto, and forced disappearance. A fourth defendant, Ari Gisell, faces the same charges except for forced disappearance. A court previously heard that Jesús Gerardo, also known as "El Kekas", visited Ari Gisell, his then-girlfriend, shortly after the killings. He allegedly told her: "I f****ed up three gringos." Today, two separate hearings will be held at the Ensenada courthouse — one for the three men accused of forced disappearance, and another for all four defendants. Prosecutors are expected to present more details about the case and the sentences they're seeking. The trial date remains unclear. The US government considers the Sinaloa cartel and its rival, the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación, to be the two largest and most dangerous in Mexico. A US Drug Enforcement Administration threat assessment report last year said: "They are not just drug manufacturers and traffickers; they are organised crime groups, involved in arms trafficking, money laundering, migrant smuggling, sex trafficking, bribery, extortion, and a host of other crimes. Zulia Orozco, an organised crime researcher at Baja California State University, said the Sinaloa Cartel had expanded its influence dramatically over the past two decades using "very violent techniques". She doubts the cartel directly ordered the Australians' killings. "Organised crime usually avoids targeting foreigners to prevent media attention," she said. Still, she said, the cartel continues to terrorise local communities in what she describes as a "lawless" region: "The community is essentially on its own, without support from security forces." Mr Lezama said the killings had a lasting impact on Baja California's surfing community. "It's still a topic of conversation," he said. "Especially among surfers and frequent visitors, who now travel with greater caution — particularly to remote or isolated areas." — with ABC NEWS Verify's Matt Martino and Phoebe Hosier in Washington DC
Daily Mail
13-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Mexican officials reveal major update after two Aussie brothers and their American friend were 'gunned down' while on surfing trip
Another person has been charged over the alleged shooting death of two Australian brothers and their American friend while on a surfing trip in Mexico. Callum and Jake Robinson, from Perth, and their friend Jack Carter Rhoad, from San Diego, were on a surfing trip in Mexican state of Baja California when they were reported missing on April 27 last year. Their bodies were found a few days later on May 3 at the bottom of a well alongside a fourth body not directly linked to the case, reportedly that of a local rancher. Investigators previously said the three men were shot in the back of the head at their remote campsite with a single bullet each and that it appeared to be a robbery. Three locals were arrested last year and now Mexican prosecutors have revealed a fourth person - Irineo Francisco - has been arrested. Prosecutor Miguel Ángel Gaxiola Rodríguez also confirmed that his office had backed up the robbery theory and added there was no evidence of involvement from Mexico's notorious drug cartels. Irineo Francisco will join Jesús Gerardo, Ari Gisell, and Ángel Jesús - all of who have had their surnames suppressed - in court charged with the killings. Jake Robinson was a talented lacrosse player living in the US, while Callum was a doctor who had taken a trip to visit his brother, and Mr Rhoad was employed at a technology services company and was set to marry his fiancé in August last year. Mr Gaxiola Rodríguez has said the state had a strong case against the four alleged killers. 'We have compelling evidence, including witness statements, and we have found the vehicle,' he said. 'The objective is to ensure that the accused are brought to trial and convicted of the homicide and robbery.' Ms Gisell was the first alleged killer to be arrested on May 1 when she was pulled over for a routine traffic stop. She reportedly threw 100g of meth on the ground and tried to flee officers. After searching the vehicle, officers found an iPhone belonging to Mr Rhoad. She turned in Mr Gerado and told officers he had told her: 'I f***ed up three gringos.' Ms Gisell also turned in one of the other accused killers. The three men are looking at charges of aggravated homicide, aggravated robbery, violent robbery, grand theft auto and forced disappearance. Ms Gisell faces the same charges except forced disappearance. Three wooden statues have been installed overlooking the North Baja coast to commemorate the Perth brothers and their American friend. The Callum and Jake Robinson Foundation wrote on social media that the 'unveiling ceremony brought together surfers, representatives from the Australian embassy and the Baja California governor's office. 'After a few words were shared, the community honoured the boys with a traditional paddle out. 'We are deeply grateful for the continued love, remembrance, and support from around the world.'
