In what they are are calling their "most extensive and most successful" operation ever targeting Mexican drug cartels, federal authorities on Wednesday launched raids across the country and arrested more than 400 people, according to U.S. officials.

The raids were the culmintation of a 22-month investigation by the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau, who have now captured more than 2,200 suspects, according to officials speaking a press conference in Washington on Thursday morning.

The entire operation, dubbed "Project Deliverance," dealt a "debilitating blow" to a network of people inside the United States who act on behalf of Mexican drug cartels and contribute to the rising violence along the U.S.-Mexican border, DEA Acting Administrator Michele Leonhart said.

"[Project] Deliverance continues a deliberate and strategic effort to cut off and shut down the supply of drugs entering our country, and the flow of drug profits and guns to Mexico," Leonhart said. "The stakes are extraordinarily high, and this massive operation is a milestone in our tireless assault onj these violent drug cartels."

During the operation, law enforcement agents also seized large quantities of U.S. money, cocaine, marijuana and weapons, officials said. On Wednesday alone, $5.8 million, 2,951 pounds of marijuana, 112 kilograms of cocaine, 141 weapons and 85 vehicles were seized.

Charges were brought and arrests made in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington state and Mexico. In total, 429 suspects were arrested on Wednesday.

Among those arrested during Project Deliverance was Carlos Ramon Castro-Rocha, an alleged "kingpin" of a drug trafficking organization who was designated a "Consolidated Priority Organization Target," according to the DEA.

Based on an arrest warrant issued in the United States, Mexican authorities arrested Castro-Rocha on May 30. He has been indicted in North Carolina and Arizona, for allegedly trafficking heroin into the United States, U.S. authorities said.

Officials said Project Deliverance is part of the Obama administration's broader strategy to stem violence along the U.S.-Mexican border. A significant part of that strategy targets Mexican drug cartels.

"This successful operation is just one battle in an ongoing war," Attorney General Eric Holder said. "So long as cartels and smugglers attempt to wreak havoc on our borders, we will continue to target them with every resource available to the federal government."

ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton said that while drug trafficking has not come to an end, Project Deliverance has made it harder for many in the "corrupt" and "violent business."

"There are a lot of people this morning who wish they had made a better career choice in life," he said.

In October, federal authorities launched a major strike targeting the Mexico-based La Familia drug cartel, arresting more than 300 people in one day across the country. Officials described La Familia as one of the newest and most violent cartels.

Morton said similar anti-cartel operations would be conducted in the future.

"Stay tuned," he said.

http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/06/10/feds-arrest-400-as-part-of-border-strategy/

Gosh those poor illegals. I guess were racists for targeting and or arresting them in this case too.

Oh-ohhhhhhhh ... now I'm gonna be called 'RAYciss!' by 'the usual suspects' just for having read this ... It'll be interesting (but still somehow magically boring at the same time) to read their specious li'l rants on how and why this is 'cruel and unusable punishment' ... I love watchin' 'em try to defend stuff that's so indefensible - but y' know they will ... it's almost like they think these peeps are their 'homeboiz' or sump'm ...

BUILD. THE. FENCE.

I think everybody from Alabama is named "RAYciss", has something to do with where they see that your from...didn't ya know it was an "automatic" thing?

Now about "their specious li'l rants on how and why this is 'cruel and unusable punishment'...it's probably being discussed and making their list as we talk.

Now...how much better can we make being captured any better...cable, pool, fine cuisine, A/C...etc, etc?

Just saying! Where has all the common sense gone to? Does Washington DC leave it at the state line?


JMO
TMF

dont forget the turrets and the large caliber machine guns. you build the wall, i'll man the turret for life. i wonder where the 5.8 mil is going... in my opinion thats more than enough to buy the building supplies and the deportees can do the labor on their way out since they have so much experience taking our construction jobs.

More token BS.

Nationally speaking. That's like taking out the dealers off one Chicago street corner.

In a couple days, as long as the Illegals are allowed to stay and our borders are unsecured, there will me more to take their places.

This happened outside of St. Louis County.

Mexican drug cartel members arrested in St. Charles County
By: Mary Ann O’Toole Holley

Two members of Mexico's deadliest drug trafficking organizations and major methamphetamine suppliers to the U.S. were arrested in St. Charles County last week in what was called “the largest law enforcement action ever by U.S. authorities against a Mexican drug cartel.”

Elias Inigues, a/k/a Elias Deniz, 32, of St. Charles and Nicholas Donald Tieman, 29, of St. Charles County, were among 300 arrested in 19 states over a two-day period. All were identified by authorities as members of the powerful La Familia drug cartel based in Michoacan, Mexico. The La Familia cartel is also alleged to be involved in contract killing, debt collection, money laundering, extortion, kidnapping, murder, torture, and arms trafficking. Authorities say they recruit members from drug rehabilitation clinics and forbid them to consume alcohol or drugs, but they must transport and sell them.

The St. Louis/St. Charles County conspiracy involved distribution of more than five kilos of cocaine. Included in the indictment is the Chicago source of supply for the organization Edgar Meraz-Salas. The indictment also indicates that the other defendants distributed cocaine into the St. Louis/St. Charles County area.

Overall, 11 members of the La Familia Mexican drug cartel were arrested in the St. Louis area, acting United States Attorney Michael W. Reap said. More than 62 kilograms (140 pounds) of cocaine, 330 kilograms (730 pounds) of methamphetamine, 440 kilograms (970 pounds) of marijuana, 144 weapons, 109 vehicles and two clandestine drug laboratories were seized in the nationwide sting.

More than 300 federal, state, local and foreign law enforcement agencies contributed investigative and prosecutorial resources to Project Coronado through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.

Officer Derek Piasecki of the St. Charles Police Department said none of the St. Charles Police officers were involved in the arrests. He said he believed the St. Charles County Drug Unit would have most likely participated.

Lt. Craig McGuire of the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department said, “Obviously we’re glad to get them off the street. This happens everywhere and we cooperate in any way we can with the federal drug units. We’re working closely with federal agencies on numerous situations.”

McGuire said he doesn’t see the arrests of these individuals as any indication that drug distribution in the area is on the rise. “It comes and goes, and the Sheriff’s Department is keeping a close eye on these types of things,” he said.

“The individuals arrested in this operation are part of a drug trafficking network that funneled narcotics onto the streets of St. Louis, encouraging more crime and violence in our community,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Harry S. Sommers in a press release. “These arrests demonstrate our unwavering commitment to the elimination of criminal enterprises through cooperative law enforcement efforts.”

The operation to dismantle the La Familia drug trafficking organization in the United States demonstrates an unprecedented level of partnership and coordination at the local, state and federal levels, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said.

“We at ICE are proud to have played an important role in the operation and look forward to continuing to work with our law enforcement partners to target these criminal organizations,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary John Morton in a news release.

Arrests were made as part of Project Coronado in the following districts in 19 states, including those in the St. Louis and St. Charles County area.

"Project Coronado, our massive assault on the La Familia Cartel, is part of our continued fight against all of the powerful Mexico-based drug cartels," said DEA Acting Administrator Michele M. Leonhart in a news release. "This organization, the newest of Mexican cartels, is directly responsible for a vast majority of the methamphetamine pouring into our country across our Southwest Border, and has had a hand in fueling the cycle of violence that is wracking Mexico today. DEA, along with our U.S. and Mexican partners, are committed to strategically attacking the international and domestic drug trade with every tool at our disposal, and defeating those that thrive on the suffering of others."

The cartel's current leader, Nazario Moreno González, known as El Más Loco (The Craziest One), preaches his organization's divine right to eliminate enemies. He carries a "bible" of his own sayings and insists that his army of traffickers and hitmen avoid using the narcotics they sell. Nazario Moreno's partners are José de Jesús Méndez Vargas, Servando Gómez Martínez and Dionicio Loya Plancarte, each of whom has a bounty of $2 million for their capture.

La Familia is considered to be Mexico’s biggest maker of methamphetamines, as well as controlling the import, transport and sale of cocaine. It also sells pirated DVDs, smuggles people to the United States, and runs a debt-collecting service by kidnapping defaulters, officials said.

To date, Project Coronado has led to the arrest of 1,186 individuals and the seizure of approximately $32.8 million in U.S. currency, and approximately 2,710 pounds of methamphetamine, 1,999 kilograms of cocaine, 29 pounds of heroin, 16,390 pounds of marijuana, 389 weapons and 269 vehicles.

"Multi-agency coordinated investigations such as Project Coronado are the key to disrupting the operations of complex criminal organizations like La Familia. Together – with the strong collaboration of our international, federal, state and local partners – we have dealt a substantial blow to a group that has polluted our neighborhoods with illicit drugs and has terrorized Mexico with unimaginable violence," said FBI Director Robert Mueller in a release.

http://www.newsmagazinenetwork.com/news/st-charles-county/091104-1815/mexican-drug-cartel-members-arrested-st-charles-county

La Familia is a dangerous and ruthless orginization. I don't think this will do much damage thoug since their leadership is still in place.

Ohhhh, the `ol fight against these cartels will never end, too bad so much money has to be thrown at it. If only people would stop doing/buying drugs! Protecting our borders is so essential (yes, even doing it with extreme force), for more reasons than one (google Garrett Hardin). I`m trying to have a wonderful day in spite of the ills of the planet...........

Good job if it is true.

But if we do not get our borders under control it will not accomplish anything long term.

You is a purty little thang, Missy! You have single-handedly made this a more beautiful place.

Rat smart too!!

As I stated earlier;

More token BS.

Nationally speaking. That's like taking out the dealers off one Chicago street corner.

In a couple days, as long as the Illegals are allowed to stay and our borders are unsecured, there will me more to take their places.

BTW;
If you read real close, you'll see how the writer puffed it up to make it look real big and "historic".

I say we put SEALS on the border with shoot to kill orders for ANYONE crossing illegally.

So what happens after we areest all these people? Do we prosecute or do we send them back to Mexico where they will buy off the authorites and be walking in less tha 24?

Well China or Japan makes it a capitol offense to traffic drugs, we should pass simular laws.

The Americans will do hard time while the Illegals are released.

Remember, Napolitano ordered catch and release.

Eskimos are badder! They club seals.

Awww, thanks for the compliments, sweetie!

Navy SEALS.

Now, can I have yer car???

"As 5,000 others went behind them undetected."