AZMEX SPECIAL 1 MAY 2012   ARIZONA in spotlight.

Note:  This one especially for AZ.  Some here going to be upset.  Not all that sure about how solid is the control of el chapo.  But no doubt that it is extensive.  Obviously on both sides.  Read it closely.    This is from  "Proceso"  one of the major national publications in Mexico.


The desert, the great ally of "El Chapo"
J. JESUS ESQUIVEL
APRIL 30, 2012 ·
SPECIAL REPORT

http://www.proceso.com.mx/?p=306004

Agua Prieta, Son. (Process). - The border between Sonora and Arizona is the front door to the drug trade between Mexico and the United States. Agents from both countries agree that it is an area where there is very little violence and is under the control of the Sinaloa cartel.

"About two months ago people came from Los Zetas and the Beltran Leyva to Nogales, Sonoita and San Luis Rio Colorado. They came to dispute control of the area, but the people of the Sinaloa cartel swept them away, "says a Mexican agent process who requested anonymity.

On the northern border of this state, Joaquin El Chapo Guzman is the master of the drugs. "The border with Sonora is the leading broker of marijuana and some synthetic drugs. And yes, prevails here the Sinaloa cartel, "says  an agent of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), who like his Mexican colleague asked that his name be kept confidential.

He added that along the 626 km border it shares with these arid Arizona Mexican territory most of the marijuana, heroin and methamphetamine entering the United States is moved by the Sinaloa cartel.

"This is the most porous of all the border between Mexico and the United States. The desert of Arizona, which is very difficult to police as a whole, is the best ally of Chapo Guzman and his people to move drug shipments, "he stresses.

U.S. officials and Mexico consulted by this weekly did not venture to make an estimate of how much marijuana the Sinaloa cartel moves to Arizona.

Every day, Border Patrol agents guarding U.S. confiscate this area trafficked marijuana and psychotropic pills in this region by Chapo's people.

In an interview with Proceso the head of Public Relations for the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection in Tucson (CBP, for its acronym in English), Mario Escalante, states:
"Nationally could say that our judgments and are based solely on the seizures that we, by this boundary moves 40% of marijuana coming from Mexico to the U.S., although other drugs are trafficked, but not in significant quantities. "

Family domain

The central core and control of the square of the northern frontier of Sonora is located in Agua Prieta, Mexico officials say the United States and interviewed by the weekly.

From this city the Sinaloa cartel monitors and coordinates drug traffic to Arizona. "Move drugs with the trucks,  with undocumented immigrants, with pack animals (horses and mules) and sporadically in ultralight aircraft," the Mexican agent.

According to sources, the command structure of the Sinaloa cartel in charge of the square is dominated in Sonora by two families: the Paredes Machado and Alfredo Salazar headed by Jesus El Indio. For years, stress, absolute loyalty to Chapo Guzman and Ismael El Mayo Zambada.

Since the eighties these families are responsible for monitoring the traffic of drugs coming mainly from Sinaloa to Sonora strategic points: Agua Prieta, Sonoita, Sasabe, Naco, Nogales, San Luis Rio Colorado, Costa Rica and Riito.

Further south the state Salazar Paredes Machado and imposing the law in Imuris, Cananea Caborca, Altar, Santa Ana and Esqueda, in addition to Puerto Penasco, Freedom, Guaymas, San Carlos and Kino Bay.

The Mexican agent says in Agua Prieta, unlike other border cities, there is an atmosphere of tranquility.

"Live here several family members of Paredes Machado, El Goyo and El 20, who are the right arm of Chapo and are those responsible for keeping out the Zetas and the Beltran Leyva statewide," said another agent interviewed.

The reporter tried unsuccessfully to find out more about El Goyo and El 20. However, he learned that more than two months ago groups of assassins and drug traffickers under the command of these subjects repelled the attempted invasion of the area by the Los Zetas and the Beltran Leyva.

The Salazar family is originally from Chihuahua, and its ties with the Sinaloa cartel established by  its patriarch, Adan Salazar Zamorano, Don Adan. The people of Agua Prieta are convinced that the climate of calm that prevails in this town is due to the strength and influence of Salazar.

Don Adan, was arrested by Federal Police on 15 February 2011 in the city of Queretaro, was the representative of El Chapo Guzman throughout Sonora, was responsible for ensuring the border crossing in Arizona and delivery of marijuana and other narcotics. After his arrest his sons, Jesus Alfredo and Adan Salazar Ramirez, took over operations of the Sinaloa cartel in the state.

In full cooperation with Salazar, although sporadic disputes because they share joint control of the area, the Paredes Machado responsibilities include bringing into Mexico from southern Arizona the cash from the sale of marijuana and other drugs in USA. "This family is like the financial arm of El Chapo in this region," said one of the sources consulted by the reporter.

On January 11, 2011 elements of the Federal Police arrested in the State of Mexico Marco Antonio Paredes Machado, who leads the other group's criminal drug trafficking organization that is controlled by Guzman Loera. Earlier, in December 2010, Rodolfo, another Paredes Machado brother, was arrested by federal police. Rudolph was responsible for passing marijuana and cocaine to the United States through tunnels.

American Irresponsibility

In this town, as in other cities of the northern frontier of Sonora, both Mexican and U.S. authorities say that despite the arrest of Marco Antonio  and Raul, this group associated with the Sinaloa cartel still owns the area.

U.S. drug agents believe that the success of the organization led by El Chapo Guzman in the transfer of marijuana and other drugs by runners of Sonora and Arizona due to his relationship with American ranchers own extensive desert areas bordering the Mexico. "They pay their right to cross and go. So marijuana is run through, "said a U.S. agent.

Once Chapo's people locate the drugs at secure positions across the northern border of Sonora,   and travel to the cities of Phoenix and Tucson-distribution centers for different parts of the American Union, the guarantee by some of the Indian reservations of Arizona.

South of Nogales, Sasabe and Sonoyta, in the heart of Pima County, Pinal, Maricopa, Gila and Yavapai Indian tribes allied with the Sinaloa cartel are basically two: Tohono O'odham Nation, located 93 kilometers west Tucson, and the Gila River Indian Community, 64 kilometers south of Phoenix.

None of the agents and U.S. officials consulted by the reporter wanted to make direct accusations against the leaders of these Indian reservations. "There have been cases where the authorities of these reservations report incidents of drug trafficking in Mexico," says the head of CBP, Mario Escalante.

Mexican authorities on the southern U.S. border are responsible for ensuring the welfare and respect for human rights of migrants complain that drug seizures by the U.S. authorities are minimal, and they do not doing enough to curb demand and consumption of drugs.

"The day that the U.S. authorities understand that they need to act tough against drug consumers, and stop criminalizing Mexican migration who only come to do an honest job, will help to Mexico in a more pragmatic to fight a problem that costs lives of Mexicans, "says Oscar Antonio de la Torre Amezcua, consul of Mexico in Douglas, Arizona.

Mexican consular officials in Arizona  consider that federal agencies on the U.S. border are not fulfilling their role in stemming the flow of drugs into their territory, and the money and weapons into Mexico.

Official statistics for 2011 and that focus on only two border crossings in Arizona, Douglas and Naco, give reason to the consular authorities of Mexico.

During 2011 the U.S. agents seized 322,761 USD  in Douglas and Naco not a penny. That same year Douglas confiscated six firearms and only three in Naco. 6,445 kilos of marijuana were seized in Douglas and Naco 1,274 kilos.

For this year, official statistics cover only the months of January and February. In the first two months of 2012 were seized 14,336 U.S. dollars in Douglas, and zero cents in Naco. During that same period the U.S. authorities not seized any firearm in those two cities in Arizona. With respect to the drugs,  only 1,396 thousand kilos of marijuana in the city of Douglas.