The shooting took place when members of the Attorney Generals Office of the State of Mexico and members of the National Guard fought with armed members of La Familia Michoacana. [28][29][30][31][32][33] La Familia's boss and spiritual leader Nazario Moreno Gonzlez, (a.k.a. LFM was responsible for trafficking thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine into the United States and delivered to stash locations in the Northern District of Texas and elsewhere. In 2017, a former leader of the gang, Marciano Chano Millan Vasquez, was jailed in San Antonio for 29 killings in Mexico while working for the group. Like La Familia Michoacana, this group is said to have forced new members to eat the hearts of murder victims to prove their loyalty. April 14, 2010. He was wearing a bulletproof vest, a khaki hooded jacket, and a nappy. My office will continue to devote our time, energy, focus and expertise to helping disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations with our law enforcement partners in the United States and abroad to stem the flow of deadly drugs into our country and stop the violence inflicted by people like Rueda-Medina. On February 25, 2010, the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctioned Rueda-Medina under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation (Kingpin Act) for his involvement in drug trafficking. [12], Rosales Mendoza was found dead on December 28, 2015 in a car park in Gabriel Zamora, Michoacn along with three other bodies. When Rosales Mendoza founded the first cells of La Familia Michoacana in the 1980s, the Milenio Cartel was competing with the organization for the control of the production and distribution of narcotics in the state of Michoacn. Only one of the officials a former mayor remains in prison. Line: 478 This article needs to be updated. Inside the history of cannibalism in Mexican drug cartels, where teen enforcers are fed crack before feasting on the organs of their victims. [54], Three days later, on July 14, 2009, the cartel tortured and murdered twelve Mexican Federal Police agents and dumped their bodies along the side of a mountain highway along with a written message: "So that you come for another. Stunning footage has captured the moment Brazilian protesters thought they had won their push for a military coup only to be arrested minutes later. View our online Press Pack. MND Staff. Officials also seized bulletproof vests, military uniforms and communication equipment. The investigative efforts in Project Coronado were coordinated by the multi-agency Special Operations Division, comprising agents and analysts from the DEA, FBI, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. [37][38] La Familia cartel emphasizes religion and family values during recruitment and has placed banners in areas of operations claiming that it does not tolerate substance abuse or exploitation of women and children. Below we take a look at some of the main gangs that have terrorised Mexico since the inception of the states war on the cartels in 2006. The government claims that that La Familia has been severely weakened after four years of fighting off its rivals and security forces. Marshals Service and ATF, as well as attorneys from the Criminal Division's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section. [64] In June 2020, it was reported that the Cartel del Abuelo and Los Viagras, as well as to a lesser extent the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, were the active cartels in Michoacn. According to The Economist, during its heyday it also acted as a parallel governing body in the state, extorting taxes from businesses to fund community projects and its own kangaroo courts. CEN The monkey's owner was reportedly part of the regional leader of La Familia Michoacana's. [10][11] Nazario Moreno's partners were Jos de Jess Mndez Vargas, Servando Gmez Martnez and Enrique Plancarte Sols, each of whom has a bounty of $2 million for his capture,[12] and were contesting the control of the organization. El Universal put the death toll at 11. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. [23] The act prohibited U.S. citizens and companies from doing any kind of business activity with him, and virtually froze all his assets in the U.S.[24] Carlos Rosales Mendoza was listed in the DEA's "most wanted" list. Tuesdays bloody raid involved dozens of heavily armed police as well as troops from the army, the navy and the National Guard. It comes as another alleged member of the deadly cartel was arrested on Tuesday. Leadership Currently, Hector Garcia, alias "El Player," is believed to control the Familia Michoacana operations in Guerrero and the state of Mexico, although it is unclear how much power the criminal group currently posesses. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. DEA agents have received tips saying the groups move up to 2 tons of high grade marijuana to a central hub in Atlanta, then up through I75 to Detroit where it is repackaged into small quantities and spread throughout the city. An official website of the United States government. Function: _error_handler, File: /home/ah0ejbmyowku/public_html/application/views/user/popup_harry_book.php 12 Mexican federal officers were tortured and killed in retaliation for La Minsa's capture DALLAS The leader of "La Familia Michoacn" (LFM) Mexican drug cartel was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to serve more than 43 years in federal prison and fined $5 million for offenses related to his leadership role within LFM. Lock He was born in the municipality of La Unin, Guerrero in southern Mexico. The grim find believed to be linked to the ruthless Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of the most violent cartels in the country, was unearthed last week after the arrest of nine alleged members of the cartel. [51] 20 municipal officials have been murdered in Michoacn, including two mayors. It doesn't kill women. On the same day as the shooting, a Bengal Tiger was spotted walking the streets of Tecuala in the western Mexican region of Nayarit. We've received your submission. In February 2010, the major cartels aligned in two factions. La Familia Michoacana is a Mexican drug cartel and organised crime syndicate known to produce large amounts of methamphetamine from its clandestine laboratories based in the state of Michoacan. #yummytreats #icecream DALLAS - Arnoldo Rueda-Medina, aka "La Minsa," 47, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma C. Ramirez today and pleaded guilty to federal offenses in connection with his leadership roles in the "La Familia Michoacn" Mexican drug cartel, announced DEA Dallas Division's Special Agent in Charge Clyde E. Shelley, Jr. and U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. Rueda-Medina pleaded guilty in September 2017 to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Also known as Almilla, she is accused of kidnapping five people with her husband, Lucas Fierros Mora, or El Mataguaches, who is believed to be the cartel's leader in the city of Aguililla, Michoacn. [46], La Familia has been known to be unusually violent. Reporting from Mexico City . The body of the founder of one of Mexico's most violent drug cartels, La Familia Michoacana, has been discovered on a motorway after being tortured and murdered. It was reported on social media that the tiger had escaped from the house of its owner who is involved in organized crime. Five officers and three civilians including an 8-month-old baby and a teenage girl were also killed in the shootouts, which began Wednesday night, when La Familia gunmen attacked federal officers in the city of Apatzingan and fired on cars. The FGJ . Function: _error_handler, File: /home/ah0ejbmyowku/public_html/application/views/page/index.php The indictment says Gomez is in charge of acquiring weapons for the cartel and may be behind the murder of 12 Mexican federal law enforcement officers whose bodies were found in July 2009 following the arrest of another La Familia leader. Judge Kinkeade sentenced Rueda-Medina to 520 months in federal prison on the drug conviction and 240 months in federal prison on the money laundering conviction, to run concurrently. Ten years later, authorities there issued a warrant for his arrest, accusing him of six transactions introducing more than 5 tons of marijuana into the United States, the Mexican government's profile says. The principal mission of OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises. Nazario Moreno Gonzalez dubbed himself the "savior of the people" and crafted the violent La Familia Michoacana cartel's philosophy, outlined in a "bible" provided to new recruits, a profile . Authorities say the dog discovered the fugitive hiding in . Specifically, Rueda-Medina pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to . However, police have now confirmed that the pictures are genuine. La Familia Michoacana and it successor, Los Caballeros Templarios (the Knights Templar), is a major drug cartel based in the Mexican state of Michoacn and "is responsible for the trafficking of hundreds of thousands of pounds of controlled substances, including methamphetamine, from Mexico into the United States," according to the indictment. "The group may have initially formed as a vigilante group to counter local street crime and law enforcement corruption," a statement released in 2009 by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said. La Familia Cartel Targeted, Police Arrest More Than 300 Across U.S. "El inmenso poder de la "La Familia Michoacana", "Mexican gang leader offers drug war truce", "Mexican police arrest 44 in baptism raid on drugs cartel", "Un bautizo termina con 44 presuntos "narcos" detenidos en el oeste de Mxico", "Violence the result of fractured arrangement between Zetas and Gulf Cartel, authorities say", "Surgen cuatro grupos del narco en 2011; El Chapo es el capo ms poderoso", "Cocaine cartel uses religion to control its killers", "Families Fear Phone Call From Mexico's Cartels", "La Familia cobra impuestos en Michoacn", "Mexico drug traffickers corrupt politics", "Mexican police, Soldiers killed in multi-city attacks by drug gang", "10 Mexican police officers held in killings of 12 federal agents", "Mexico's drug war: Cartel kills 12 federal officers", "2 Mexican politicians sought; drug cartel link alleged", "US strikes at Mexican cartel's drug-and-gun trade", "Crackdown on La Familia cartel leads to more than 300 arrests across US", "Project Delirium Results in Nearly 2,000 Arrests During 20-Month Operation, Seizures of More Than 12 Tons of Drugs and $62 Million in U.S. Currency", "Authorities arrest dozens in 'surgical strike' against Mexican cartel", "La guerra cotidiana: Guerrero y los retos a la paz en Mxico", "Why the Jalisco Cartel Does Not Dominate Mexico's Criminal Landscape", Cartel: The Coming Invasion of Mexico's Drug Wars, El Narco: Inside Mexico's Criminal Insurgency, Manhunt of Joaqun "El Chapo" Guzmn (20012014), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=La_Familia_Michoacana&oldid=1133844053, Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga, Jos Alfredo Hurtado Olascoaga. Before releasing her in August, he and his henchmen had torn off pieces of her fingers. But it grabbed national attention in 2006, after reportedly hurling five decapitated heads of rival gang members onto a dance floor. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Only those who deserve to die will die.". By May 2020, all 39 non-Jalisco New Generation cartels operating in Guerrero were splinter cartels. His strategy of direct confrontation and law enforcement is not popular with some segments of Mexican society, where battling violent drug gangs has brought out several human rights charges against the Mexican military. The La Familia Michoacana cartel emerged from the Los Zetas subgroup around 2006 following frustrations with the group's governance. "They believe they are doing God's work, and pass out Bibles and money to the poor," the profile says. Mexico Arrests Important Familia Michoacana Boss. [26], Last edited on 17 February 2021, at 06:04, Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, "FPRI: La Familia: Another Deadly Mexican Syndicate", "FORMAL PRISIN EN CONTRA DE CARLOS ALBERTO ROSALES MENDOZA (A) "CARLITOS" Y DE ROBERTO HUERTA ROS", "La Familia: Another Deadly Mexican Syndicate", "Comenz en la compra y venta de grandes cantidades de mariguana", "Aprehenden a lugarteniente de Osiel Crdenas", "En Aguascalientes, la Polica Federal captura a Jess Mndez Vargas, alias El Chango Mendez, lider de la organizacion delictiva "La Familia Michoacana", "Carlos Rosales planeaba la fuga de Osiel Crdenas", "La Familia Mexican drug cartel founder killed", "Latin American Herald Tribune - Mexico Arrests Important Familia Michoacana Boss", "Cmo queda 'La Familia Michoacana' despus de la captura de su lder? In 2016, he was caught for a third time and extradited to the US to face charges relating to his leadership of the cartel. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. His men managed to free 25 inmates, but Rosales Mendoza was arrested on suspicion of masterminding the jailbreak and spent the next decade in prison. The eccentric leader of the notorious La Familia drug cartel was killed in a shootout during two days of fighting between federal police and gunmen that terrified civilians across a western Mexican state, the office of Mexican President Felipe Calderon said Friday. Lock During the attacks, two soldiers and three federal policemen were killed. Alfredo Castillo, the federal security commissioner for gang-ravaged Mexican state Michoacan, claimed the practice was not widespread but did occur. La Familia Michoacana, (English: The Michoacn Family) La Familia (English: The Family ), or LFM [3] [4] is a Mexican drug cartel and organized crime syndicate based in the Mexican state of Michoacn. Another adult was also hospitalized, but no details have been given about them. La Familia tore itself apart from the Gulf Cartel in 2006 (it even announced its foundation . On April 20, 2009, about 400 Federal Police agents raided a christening party for a baby born to a cartel member. The drug proceeds that were collected were delivered to cartel members or associates in Mexico either by way of bulk cash smuggling in vehicles utilized by LFM couriers or through money remitters such as Western Union. Outside of the United States, the operation resulted in the arrest of more than 1,900 members. [45] La Familia Michoacana became a rival of its splinter group Knights Templar. [39] Advancement within the organization depends as much on regular attendance at prayer meetings as on target practice. Carlos Alberto Rosales Mendoza (12 February 1963 - 27 December 2015) was a former Mexican drug lord who founded and led an organized crime syndicate called La Familia Michoacana. This is the policy of The Business.". It was the largest U.S. raid ever against Mexican drug cartels operating in the U.S.[58][59] In 19 different states, 303 individuals were taken into custody in a coordinated effort by local, state, and federal law enforcement over a two-day period. [11], In 2004, he organised the armed assault on a maximum security prison. According to federal and state sources, La Familia Michoacana has been increasingly involved in Michoacn's politics, impelling their favorite candidates, financing their campaigns, and forcing other parties to renounce their candidacies. [5] This alliance was intended to displace the Milenio Cartel from Michoacn state, and provoked a series of assassinations in the area until 2003. (April 2020) La Familia Michoacana Cartel Area of influences of the La Familia . "El Tsico" the founder of the criminal group ''La Familia Michoacana.''. Mexico Daily Postreports that 10 men were killed at the scene while another died in hospital and a further 10 were detained. On July 13, 2009, a group of 12 officers were kidnapped, tortured, and murdered. [13][19][20] Several leaders split off after his death to form the Knights Templar.[21]. It will undergo a necropsy under the charge of specialist vets from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMex), according to the paper. Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement(ICE) Homeland Security (HSI) provided special assistance. Stunnedpolicecame across the bizarre and gruesome scene following a firefight between authorities and cartel members in the town of Texcaltitlan, central Mexico, just over 60 miles southwest of the capital, Mexico City. This group emerged from a power vacuum left after the death of former Sinaloa cartel chief Ignacio Coronel and the capture of friendly ally Oscar Orlando Nava Valencia. Warning: Graphic content. Univision fires anchor for racist Michelle Obama insult, 'Star Wars Episode 8' to be released May 2017, Talking Barbie is too 'creepy' for some parents, Scammer tries to swindle top tax-crime fighter, Authorities say Nazario Moreno Gonzalez crafted La Familia's philosophy, His death comes after two days of clashes, The cartel espouses religious values and claims to protect people, It is known for violence, including hurling decapitated heads onto a dance floor. [6][19] His capture resulted in new organizational leaders: Jos de Jess Mndez Vargas and Nazario Moreno Gonzlez. DALLAS Arnoldo Rueda-Medina, aka "La Minsa," 47, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma C. Ramirez today and pleaded guilty to federal offenses in connection with his leadership roles in the "La Familia Michoacn" Mexican drug cartel, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.. High ranking cartel figures operating in the North Texas area will not be tolerated, said Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge, Clyde E. Shelley Jr. The DEA and the US Attorneys Office are working around the clock to combat the massive amount of drugs brought into the United States as a result of the direct actions of Arnoldo Rueda-Medina, aka La Minsa, and the continuing threat posed to our communities by the remnants of the LFM. Thanks to the unrelenting efforts of our United States law enforcement team and the critical assistance and sacrifice of our Mexican counterparts, a notorious drug cartel leader is where he should be --behind bars, said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. Mexicos president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has spoken out in the wake of the shooting, insisting that he would continue with his security strategy of not facing violence with more violence.. DALLAS - Arnoldo Rueda-Medina, aka La Minsa, 47, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma C. Ramirez today and pleaded guilty to federal offenses in connection with his leadership roles in the La Familia Michoacn Mexican drug cartel, announced DEA Dallas Divisions Special Agent in Charge Clyde E. Shelley, Jr. and U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. The Public Prosecutor's Office has said the find is strange, as the CJNG is mostly active in Jalisco, Michoacan, Guanajuato, and Zacatecas States. Like other cartels, La Familia used the port city of Lzaro Crdenas, Michoacn to import narcotics from Peru and Colombia. After his arrest, members of LFM attempted to free him, and although unsuccessful, a shootout ensued through the streets of Morelia, Michoacan. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. There is speculation the CJNG moved in after confrontations with authorities in Mexico State left La Familia Michoacana weakened or both cartels agreed to a non-aggression pact. Function: _error_handler, Message: Invalid argument supplied for foreach(), File: /home/ah0ejbmyowku/public_html/application/views/user/popup_modal.php A MASS grave with 47 sacks containing human remains was discovered underneath the dancefloor of a nightclub in Mexico. Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. The man later came to collect his dangerous pet with a chain. He was arrested at the time but managed to escape until he was seized again last week. Line: 107 The local authorities haven't been able to dismantle this trafficking group because of its experience. "This is the moment to intensify the pressure on this organization in order to diminish crime in the region effectively and permanently," he said. La Familia began its operations in the state of Michoacan at the beginning of the decade, the country's national security spokesman told reporters Friday. DALLAS - "La Familia Michoacn" (LFM) Mexican drug cartel leader, Arnoldo Rueda-Medina, aka "La Minsa," 48, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade to serve a total of 520 months in federal prison and a $5 million fine for offenses related to his leadership role within LFM. The name of the group suggests it is a successor of the Familia Michoacana drug cartel that was largely crushed in 2010 when the Knights Templar gang chased it out of Michoacan. The Mexican government's profile of Moreno describes him as one of the drug traffickers "with the most economic power and support from police organizations.". Function: view, File: /home/ah0ejbmyowku/public_html/application/controllers/Main.php The cases have since unraveled for lack of evidence in one of the biggest setbacks of Calderon's drug war. A reporter who spent time with him told El Blog del Narco, After sentencing him (the victim) to death, he orders him to bathe, and even to shave his whole body and let him de-stress for two or three hours, even better sometimes he gave them a bottle of whisky to relax, then he ordered a very quick death so there is no adrenaline in the meat to prevent it getting bitter or hard.. As a teenager, he immigrated illegally to the United States and worked in several locations in California, the profile says. The other reputed La Familia leader is former school teacher Servando Gomez. Mendoza helped form La Familia in 2000 after rising through the ranks of local drug gangs, when he . This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. [10] The cartel gives loans to farmers, businesses, schools and churches,[40] and it advertises its benevolence in local newspapers in order to gain social support. Members of La Familia Michoacana in a screenshot of a video with which they announced their arrival in Milpa Alta, in Mexico City, on December 4. . Nazario Moreno Gonzalez dubbed himself the "savior of the people" and crafted the violent La Familia Michoacana cartel's philosophy, outlined in a "bible" provided to new recruits, a profile released Friday by the office of Mexico's president says. The DEA and The US Attorneys Office are working around the clock to combat the loss of life due to Medina and the continuing threat posed to our communities by the remnants of the La Familia Michoacn., The cartel leadership in Mexico is not immune from our reach, said U.S. Attorney Parker. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( But some barbaric factions of the gangs are believed to have even turned cannibal and actually eaten parts of their rivals. He said police recovered the bodies of three other suspected La Familia members and detained three others. Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who was born in Michoacan, responded by deploying tens of thousands of soldiers to the state to crush the cartel an increasingly bloody fight that has since expanded to other drug trafficking hotspots across the country. This story originally appeared onThe Sunand was reproduced here with permission. Mexican authorities believe La Familia operates "by means of an executive council" compromised of both drug traffickers and government officials, according to the DEA. Line: 208 In 2016 his brother, said to be the financial brains behind the criminal empire, was captured. Rueda-Medina will remain in custody pending sentencing. La Familia Michoacana also gives money to schools and local officials.". All times AEDT (GMT +11). Authorities seized various weapons including 20 assault rifles,handguns, ammunition and vehicles in the operation, and also took the body of the monkey away. 9. LFM operatives subsequently attacked several other locations and Federal Police Officers. Published: Jul. The CJNG, led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, El Mencho, denounced in a video broadcast on social networks that those who executed the 20 victims were hosts of the leader of the Familia Michoacana, Medardo Hernndez Vera alias el Cien or Lalo Mantecas; They pointed to the coordination with Daniel Correa, head of the cell that bears his last name. However, according to DEA officials, it claims to oppose the sale of drugs to Mexicans. The eccentric leader of the notorious La Familia drug cartel was killed in a shootout during two days of fighting between federal police and gunmen that terrified civilians across a western. A similar event took place in 2015 when hopefuls of La Familia Michoacana were forced to eat their rivals after torturing them and cutting them up while alive.