Latest news with #Joaquín"ElChapo"Guzmán
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
Mexican cartels now producing drugs in Europe in 'concerning' global expansion
The European Union Drug Agency (EUDA) and Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) have both warned that Mexican cartels are expanding European operations Mexican cartels - including one established by El Chapo - are expanding operations in Europe, establishing drug production bases that allow them to maintain a constant presence on the continent. Authorities have warned that the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) cartels have cemented a foothold in European nations as part of a new strategy. The "Mexican method", the European Union Drug Agency (EUDA) reports, has seen the groups establish clandestine laboratories and even gain a hand in the training of local chefs. The agency has found their operations becoming more commonplace due to the growing demand for synthetic drugs. READ MORE: Horror as 400 human corpses found inside house of horrors on US-Mexico border In its 2025 report, the organisation warned drug production in Europe has been primarily focused on amphetamine, methamphetamine, synthetic cathinones, MDMA, cocaine and heroin. It identified drug production centres in Belgium, the Netherlands and Poland, and drug developers seem to be extending their roots in the nations. The EUDA flagged a "significant concern" in the report that cocaine production in Europe especially appeared "to be larger and more sophisticated than was previously thought". Investigators also found that production in Europe has been reliant on South American ingredients trafficked to the continent for processing. The report states: "Overall, based on the information available, it appears that large amounts of cocaine hydrochloride are now processed in Europe, mostly in Belgium, the Netherlands and Spain, from intermediary products (coca paste and cocaine base) trafficked from South America." A couple of months before Europol released its report, the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) warned in one of its own that Mexican groups were accessing secure drugs distribution routes and taking over logistics operations. The group found cartels contribute expertise, handling and transportation, while local criminal groups are left in charge of distribution, money laundering and protection. Combined, these have allowed criminal groups from Central America to maintain a locally established European foothold. The issue came into sharp focus earlier this year when members of Europol arrested 16 alleged members of a criminal network involved in producing and trafficking synthetic drugs in Marseille, France. The arrests, made with support of French police, apprehended members of a network operating closely with the Sinaloa Cartel and other criminal gangs. They were found to have been operating across Europe in Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands, and notably across the world in New Zealand. The Sinaloa Cartel - established by infamous kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán - is among the most brutal of cartel groups, having recently been embroiled in an "internal cleansing" effort that saw members assassinate their own hitmen.
Engadget
01-07-2025
- Engadget
El Chapo drug cartel reportedly tracked and killed informants by hacking an FBI phone
The Mexican Sinaloa cartel hired a hacker to track and surveil the FBI, then used that information to intimidate and even kill witnesses against drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, according to a Justice Department report spotted by Ars Technica . The hacker used relatively sophisticated data collection techniques and weaknesses in the FBI's cybersecurity to identify the witnesses, the report states. According to the highly redacted report, which is based in part on testimony from an "individual connected to the cartel," the hacker offered gang leaders "a menu of services related to to exploiting mobile phones and other electronic devices." The hacker "observed people going in and out of the United States Embassy in Mexico City" and identified people of interest, including the FBI's Assistant Legal Attache (ALAT). They used the ALAT's mobile phone number to "obtain calls made and received, as well as geolocation data associated with the [attache's] phone." The hacker also used Mexico City's camera system to follow the ALAT around the city and identify people they met with. "According to the case agent, the cartel used that information to intimidate and, in some instances, kill potential sources or cooperating witnesses," the report states. The exact technical methods are redacted but the report explains that the hacker used "ubiquitous technical surveillance" (UTS) to spy on the FBI, which was investigating and eventually convicted Guzmán. The report defines UTS as the "widespread collection of data and application of analytic methodologies for the purpose of connecting people to things, events or locations." In other words, the cartel used some of the FBI's own methods against it. The report said that the recent availability of commercial tools that allow UTS is an "existential" threat. It cited other examples including the use of credit card transaction reports widely available from data brokers along with cell phone call logs. The FBI's response to the UTS threat was "disjointed and inconsistent," according to the Justice Department, and countermeasures instated in 2022 were "inadequate" and lacking in "long-term vision." It recommended (among other things) that the agency incorporate all UTS vulnerabilities into its final mitigation plan, identify key officials authorized to execute the strategy, establish a line of authority for responding to UTS-related incidents and ensure ongoing training on UTS strategies.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What we know about Trump admin's reported deal allowing Mexican cartel family members to enter US
In mid-May 2025, news outlets reported that a Mexican security chief claimed U.S. President Donald Trump's administration made a deal allowing 17 drug cartel family members to enter the United States. Many of these stories framed the security chief's statement as confirmation that the deal occurred. The Associated Press (AP), for example, wrote that, "Mexico's security chief confirmed Tuesday that 17 family members of cartel leaders crossed into the U.S. last week as part of a deal between a son of the former head of the Sinaloa Cartel and the Trump administration." The Sinaloa Cartel is a global criminal enterprise and one of two drug cartels "at the heart" of illicit drug-related dealings in the United States, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The stories spread on social media platforms like Bluesky, Facebook and Reddit. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, accused Trump of allowing "17 relatives of El Chapo, one of the most notorious cartel drug dealers in the world, into America." "What kind of message does that send? Who the hell knows? Maybe you got a presidential helicopter from them, who knows," Schumer said in a May 16 Facebook video, referencing Qatar's offer of a Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to the Trump administration. It is true that Mexico's security chief, Omar Hamid García Harfuch, said that 17 family members of former Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, who is imprisoned in the United States, crossed into America, apparently confirming reporting from independent journalist Luis Chaparro. Harfuch told reporters it looked clear to Mexican authorities that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) granted the family members entry as part of a deal with Guzmán's son, Ovidio Guzmán López, who is also a suspected member of the cartel's leadership. However, until the Trump administration confirms a deal occurred and the details of the purported deal — or documents verifying the deal took place are made public — Snopes cannot put a truthfulness rating on this statement. We reached out to the administration and await a response. Mexican authorities arrested Guzmán López in 2023 and extradited him to the United States, where the government charged him with various drug trafficking-related offenses; he is expected to plead guilty on July 9, 2025, as part of a plea deal, per court documents filed May 6, 2025 — but details of the deal were not yet public as of this writing. On May 12, 2025, Chaparro posted a video titled, "LUN 12 MAY | EXCLUSIVA: LA FAMILIA DEL CHAPO SE ENTREGA AL GOBIERNO FEDERAL DE LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS" on his YouTube channel — translated into English, his video title said: "MON, MAY 12 | EXCLUSIVE: EL CHAPO'S FAMILY SURRENDERS TO THE U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT." Here's a transcript of his report citing anonymous sources, starting at 2:21, translated into English from Spanish with the help of Snopes reporters who speak Spanish (emphasis ours): Seventeen members of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán's family, including a daughter and Ovidio Guzmán's mother, surrendered to the FBI this weekend at one of the international bridges between Mexico and the United States. According to reports from our sources, the family surrendered to the FBI at noon last Friday at the San Ysidro border port in Tijuana. And according to the same sources, among these people are Griselda López, Ovidio's mother, several nephews, a grandson named Archivaldo and a daughter of "El Chapo" along with a son-in-law of the drug trafficker. It is currently unknown why they surrendered, but the fact that they turned themselves in to agents who were already waiting for them is probably linked to the deal Ovidio Guzmán allegedly made with the United States government last week. The family reportedly arrived with several suitcases, at least two brand-name suitcases for each member, and between them all they were carrying more than 70,000 in cash. Chaparro also shared pictures of what he alleged were the family members at the border in his report at 3:19 but censored the faces. NBC Chicago's investigative team on May 13 also reported, using anonymous federal sources, that "the immigration of 17 Chapo relatives, including a sister, were part of the deal that resulted in Ovidio's guilty plea." Then, on May 13, Mexican talk radio station Radio Fórmula published an interview with García Harfuch, wherein the security chief said the transfer of El Chapo's relatives was clearly part of a "negotiation" between the U.S. Justice Department and representatives of Guzmán López. Here's the interview, translated into English (emphasis ours): Journalist: How should we read this news, Omar, which is on the front pages of virtually every national newspaper today, about Ovidio Guzmán's family surrendering to the United States authorities, the FBI... 17 people? Were the facts as reported, and if so, where does this decision come from, or are they colluding with the United States? How should we read it, Omar? García Harfuch: I think it's very clear that when — it's very clear that when Ovidio — we must first highlight who detained Ovidio. He was arrested by Mexican authorities in a Mexican army operation where fellow special forces soldiers were killed. Once the Mexican army arrested Ovidio, Mexico handed him over... extradited him to the United States. Ovidio, as we all saw on the news, began negotiations with the United States Department of Justice, and it's clear that since his family was leaving for the United States, it was because of this negotiation or an opportunity that the Department of Justice itself granted him. Let's also remember that this conflict in Sinaloa is understood to be an issue between the brothers themselves, and includes Ovidio and Ovidio's brothers, where they pointed fingers at other groups in the criminal organization, and it's clear that this is what's happening. Journalist: So is it an agreement between a defendant in the United States and the authority that is prosecuting him? García Harfuch: That's right. [...] Journalist: The 17 people, with the information you have — the 17 people who left were Mexican citizens who didn't have an arrest warrant. They were exercising their freedom to cross into the United States. García Harfuch: That's right, and [authorities] were already waiting for them in the United States. As such, per Harfuch, the family members did not appear to "surrender" to authorities, as no warrants were out for their arrest, but voluntarily crossed into the United States. It's unclear if the family members were under some sort of protective custody; their whereabouts, as of this writing, were unknown. Mexico's president, Claudia Sheinbaum, called on the Trump administration to provide more information on why the cartel family members entered the United States during a May 14 news conference and said the United States did not alert Mexican authorities ahead of time about the alleged deal. An excerpt from her comments are translated into English below: We don't have official or public information that says why this family entered. We must recall the issue of extradition again, and yes, indeed, it is — there is a policy of [the U.S.] not to negotiate with terrorists. It was their decision to name some organized crime organizations [like the Sinaloa Cartel] as terrorists. So, let them report if there's an agreement or if there isn't an agreement... they have to report it and they have to explain this to the people of the United States as well... how it is that, if they're reaching an agreement, how they're doing it. And to Mexico, obviously. Multiple news outlets reported that U.S. prosecutors and authorities declined to comment on the reported deal, including the Los Angeles Times, which also said the news outlet sent Guzmán Lopez's attorney, Jeffrey Lichtman a message, and did not receive a response. Snopes reached out to DOJ and Lichtman as well and await a response. Thus, while the evidence indicates that the Trump administration may have made a deal with a suspected Sinaloa Cartel drug lord, Ovidio Guzmán López, to bring 17 of his family members into the United States, many details remain unclear, making it impossible to rate this claim. Snopes reporters Anna Rascouët-Paz and Jack Izzo contributed to the Spanish-English translations in this report. Coleman, Sharon Johnson. "UNITED STATES of AMERICA v. OVIDIO GUZMAN LOPEZ | NOTIFICATION of DOCKET ENTRY." CourtListener, 6 May 2025, Accessed 16 May 2025. Drug Enforcement Administration. "National Drug Threat Assessment 2024 ." May 2024, Accessed 16 May 2025. El Universal. "🗣️ 'Tienen Que Informar', Señala La Presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum Sobre El Ingreso de Familiares de Ovidio Guzmán, Hijo de 'El Chapo', a EU; Aseguró Que No Tiene Información Oficial al Respecto Y Recordó Que Hay Investigaciones En Curso Sobre Ese Caso." X (Formerly Twitter), 14 May 2025, Accessed 16 May 2025. Goudie, Chuck. "El Chapo Family Defects from Mexico in Deal Linked to Chicago Drug Case." NBC Chicago, 13 May 2025, Accessed 16 May 2025. "Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, Sinaloa Cartel Leader, Sentenced to Life in Prison plus 30 Years." 17 July 2019, Accessed 16 May 2025. McDonnell, Patrick J. "Were 17 Members of El Chapo's Family Escorted into U.S. From Mexico?" Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2025, Accessed 16 May 2025. PIE DE NOTA | Con Luis Chaparro. "LUN 12 MAY | EXCLUSIVA: LA FAMILIA DEL CHAPO SE ENTREGA al GOBIERNO FEDERAL de LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS." YouTube, 12 May 2025, Accessed 16 May 2025. Radio Fórmula . "EXCLUSIVA 🚨 Omar García Harfuch Explica La Entrega de La Familia de Ovidio Guzmán al FBI: "Es Evidente Que al Estarse Yendo Su Familia a EU Es Por El Criterio de Oportunidad Que El Departamento de Justicia Le Da. ☝️Recordemos Que El Conflicto En Sina…." 13 May 2025, Accessed 16 May 2025. Santucci, Jeanine. "Family Members of Drug Lord El Chapo Enter US, Mexican Officials Say." USA TODAY, 14 May 2025, Accessed 16 May 2025. "Son of Joaquin Guzman Loera Aka 'El Chapo' Arraigned on Federal Criminal Charges Following His Extradition from Mexico to the United States for International Drug Trafficking." 18 Sept. 2023, Accessed 16 May 2025. Staff, MND. "Sheinbaum Demands Answers on 'El Chapo' Family's Entry to US: Wednesday's Mañanera Recapped." Mexico News Daily, 14 May 2025, Accessed 16 May 2025. Trump, Donald J. "Designating Cartels and Other Organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists – the White House." The White House, 21 Jan. 2025, Accessed 16 May 2025. Yuhas, Alan. "Cartel Family Members Cross Border in Apparent Deal with U.S., Official Says." New York Times, 14 May 2025, Accessed 16 May 2025.
Int'l Business Times
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Former DHS Official Says Relatives of 'El Chapo' May Seek U.S. Protections Under Humanitarian Parole Program
A former Department of Homeland Security official says the recent surrender of several relatives of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán to U.S. authorities may be tied to a humanitarian parole program offered as part of Ovidio Guzmán López's plea agreement—potentially paving the way for more family members to come to the United States in the future. In a recent interview, Oscar Hagelsieb, former head of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, said the 17 members of the Guzmán family who crossed into the United States earlier this month "won't be the last." Hagelsieb also said that, unlike in cases involving figures such as Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and Rafael Caro Quintero, the relatives of Ovidio "El Ratón" Guzmán are expected to receive several protections typically granted to individuals admitted under humanitarian parole. In an interview with investigative journalist Luis Chaparro, Hagelsieb said negotiations like this don't happen overnight. "The agreement talks began almost a year ago," Hagelsieb said. "They offered protection not only to the sons of El Chapo—they offered it to a lot of people." According to the former DHS official, there was a long-term strategy within the Sinaloa Cartel to protect certain members of the family, particularly El Chapo's younger sons. The plan involved the selective sharing of information, restructuring of the cartel, and family protection. In the interview reported by Infobae México , Hagelsieb also suggested that other key associates of the Sinaloa Cartel—such as the armed wing known as Los Salazar—were reportedly given "permission" to cooperate with U.S. authorities in exchange for protection for their inner circle. According to InSight Crime , Los Salazar functions as an armed wing of Los Chapitos and controls drug and migrant trafficking routes through Sonora and parts of Chihuahua. Its founder, Adán Salazar Zamorano, joined the Sinaloa cartel decades ago as a deputy to Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. Humanitarian parole According to the U.S. Department of Justice, humanitarian parole is granted only in exceptional cases, typically for urgent humanitarian reasons or when there is a significant public benefit. Individuals who cooperate with the U.S. government may be eligible for a range of benefits, provided their cooperation is considered both valuable and verifiable. Among these benefits is humanitarian parole itself, which allows legal entry into the country for individuals who would otherwise be deemed inadmissible. In some cases, it also includes relocation to secure areas to protect witnesses and their families. Cooperating individuals may be given new identities to conceal their pasts, along with temporary financial support to help them begin new lives. This support can include housing, education and, in some cases, medical assistance. In certain instances, individuals may also be allowed to retain some assets, as long as those assets are considered clean and not directly tied to criminal activity. As Hagelsieb notes, more of El Chapo's relatives are expected to surrender to U.S. authorities in the coming weeks in hopes of receiving these types of protections. Meanwhile, Ovidio is expected to plead guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering charges during a court hearing in Chicago on July 9. His brother, Joaquín, is reportedly engaged in similar negotiations with U.S. prosecutors. Originally published on Latin Times
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Yahoo
Train Heists Surge As Thieves Target Sneakers And Electronics
Everything comes back around these days, with flared jeans on the up, Oasis reforming after a few decades away and now, great train robberies are gaining popularity once again. That's right, old fashioned train heists are back with more than $4 million worth of goods stolen from a single freight train operator in California over less than two years. Thieves in California regularly target the Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail operator, which carries freight through the state, reports Business Insider. Groups are reportedly boarding trains with saws, bolt-cutters and other tools to crack open cases of valuable goods like footwear, tools and electronics. The attacks on freight trains have hit everything from Turtle Beach Stealth Pro headsets to "Nightmare Before Christmas" toys, and that's just the goods that authorities have been able to recover. In total, authorities estimate that the BNSF railroad alone had more than $4 million worth of goods swiped from its trains since 2023. Read more: Alleged Horse-And-Buggy Thief In Way More Trouble Than If She Had Just Stolen A Car Gangs reportedly target freight trains when they are headed eastbound from California's Interstate 40, reports Outside. Once they're onboard, crews of thieves get to work locating and stealing the goods: Once thieves know the location of cargo, they board the train when it's stopped. Due to the size of freight trains, security guards can't patrol the entire vehicle, Lewis said. And train drivers are unarmed. Once crooks find the shipping containers, they cut the locks off with grinders or bolt cutters. Then, they toss the cargo to the ground, hide it in the underbrush, and wait for a follow car to pick it up. Once a haul is stashed away, it's either picked up by a following truck that's being used by the criminals, or it's collected by law enforcement. Officers in California have unearthed stolen goods lining railroads, and placed trackers in some goods loaded onto trains to follow them once they are swiped. Authorities in California have arrested 11 people in connection with robberies on the railways so far this year. In many instances, the groups hitting BNSF trains had "apparent links" to Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel, which is an organized-crime group formerly led by drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. With organized crime hitting its trains, BNSF is taking action to protect its staff and reputation. In a statement shared with Outside, the operator said it had "robust security protocols" in place on trains it operated. "We work hard to protect our customers' freight from pickup to delivery and have security measures in place to help ensure these goods arrive safely," the company added. "We are working with federal, state, local, and tribal police departments to coordinate our approach to disrupting criminal activity and arresting offenders." Despite this hardline stance against train robberies, attacks on freight trains in America are on the rise and they aren't just hitting BNSF and its trains in California. Across the country, BI reports that cargo thefts cost rail operators more than $100 million in 2024 after railroads were hit with more than 65,000 thefts over the 12-month period. Hits on railroads in 2024 were up by around 40 percent compared with 2023, industry groups told the site. Despite the eye-watering value of goods lost on the railroad, operators like BNSF still bank their fair share. Last year, the operator generated nearly $24 billion in revenue and about $5 billion in net income, adds Business Insider. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
