.27Spillover.27 violence Infighting in the Gulf Cartel

mug shot of flores borrego.

after samuel flores borrego killed, gulf cartel had lost many of drug loads rival groups , own members, when new leader appointed, 1 of first directives issued recuperate losses.

it unclear how, several gulf cartel members traced 1 of stolen loads stash house of suspected dealers in elsa, texas on 1 november 2011. cartel called on american-based prison gang go , buy loads learn location of stash house. gang dealers went , bought drugs dealers, realized not @ stash house goods allegedly hidden. in attempt disclose information dealers, gang members kidnapped them, , when 2 country sheriffs received emergency call possible kidnapping. policemen spotted gang member s ford f-150 pickup truck , ordered drivers stop. while 1 of policemen speaking driver, other approached passenger window , shot 9 mm gun. policeman managed survive because wearing bullet vest. 1 of gang members, however, killed; other shot in head , remained in critical condition.

kidnappings , extortions in south texas

on memorial day weekend in 2011, alleged member of gulf cartel pretended policeman (he in full uniform, pistol, handcuffs, , embroidered shirt) , abducted man named ovidio guerrero olivares near alton, texas. guerrero has not been seen family members , court records indicate wasn’t target of gulf cartel-ordered kidnapping. police learned more kidnapping when arrested cartel members in mission, texas; 1 of detainees admitted guerrero olivares kidnapped after cartel boss in miguel alemán, tamaulipas issued list of several people wanted kidnapped in rio grande valley , sent south mexico questioning after load of cocaine stolen. kidnapper sentenced prison, while reports within organization state cartel boss of miguel alemán – miguel el gringo villarreal – killed in valle hermoso, tamaulipas during cartel infighting. in addition, family of guerrero olivares fled , abandoned house.

on 6 december 2011, high-speed chase , attempted vehicle aggression alleged cartel members on police officers in palmview, texas prompted nine-shot confrontation. isaac sánchez gutiérrez, driver of vehicle, managed escape scene , avoid capture, leaving behind partner , ford f-150 pick-up truck letters cdg – spanish acronym gulf cartel – spray-painted in inside. authorities later discovered more 700 pounds of cannabis hidden inside truck. sánchez gutiérrez arrested u.s. border patrol agency after vehicle-and-foot chase incident near abram, texas on 20 december 2011. while in custody, claimed high-ranking leader of cartel in reynosa, tamaulipas had coerced him smuggle drugs across border. according account, brother juan armando had been involved in drug business suspected reynosa superiors of stealing $2 million dollars. juan armando kidnapped @ convenience store in reynosa, , several cartel members went isaac s home in mission, texas threatening torture , kill brother if money not returned. issued him ultimatum: either gather $4 million dollars, or smuggle 50 drug across u.s-mexico border texas free kidnapped brother.

reactions

the debates on whether violence in mcallen metropolitan area should considered actual spillover mexico s drug war reignited when sheriff hidalgo county, texas wounded in shooting on 1 november 2011 members of gulf cartel. on 1 side, local , federal u.s. law enforcement agents claim drug-related violence coming mexico stops @ border. other side, made politicians, claim border regions being overrun drug cartels. debate relies on how both sides define spillover occurrence. u.s. department of homeland security defines spillover incident crime occurs in united states directly tied violent conflicts in mexico, either between law enforcement officials , drug traffickers, or between rival drug trafficking organizations. texas department of public safety, however, defines spillover drug-related violence. dps standards, conflict on drug deal between sicilian mafia , chinese triads in new york city can fall under spillover category. hence, local authorities in south texas have concluded although violence occur in region, not directly related mexico individuals in united states.

according sheriff, after death of flores borrego in september 2011, gang in united states given orders mexican superiors recover drug load had been taken gulf cartel. process did not go planned , gang members ended kidnapping group of dealers, leading shootout incident. sheriff said represents direct spillover case of mexico s drug war in south texas, stated not directly related mexico. after incident, todd staples, republican party commissioner of texas department of agriculture, set website asking federal government state efforts curb illegal activities along mexican border, , drug trafficking. in report, staples asked 2 decorated military generals take on assignment, , stated in september 2011 living , conducting business in texas border county tantamount living in war zone.” staples announced mexican drug cartels seeking create own turf in united states, on south texas, consider vulnerable. statement sparked criticism among local officials argued many of texan border cities have lower crime rates cities houston, not along border. henry cuellar, democratic party member , u.s. representative, disagreed staples assessment texas border war zone or area overrun mexican criminal groups, , claimed such claims create confusion , unnecessary alarmist reactions. on november 2011, greg abbott, texas attorney general, informed media outlets of letter sent president barack obama on failure protect border, , warned him drug violence mexico increasingly spilling on border, , urged obama dedicate more manpower border security. in letter, abbott wrote shootings , kidnappings have been occurring in rio grande valley, , how these incidents threat national security.

lupe treviño, sheriff wounded, disagreed abbott s statements in meeting @ white house several department of homeland security agencies , janet napolitano, , claimed has implemented four-step program designed have of deputies undergo special tactical training designed apply swat-style techniques tackle violence along border. explicitly said [u.s] border not in chaos,” , claims republicans untrue , unfairly painted. nevertheless, carlos cascos, current cameron county judge, questioned treviño s comments through facebook, , mentioned if south texas didn t have drug violence issues (as treviño claimed in washington), treviño s travel washington d.c. unnecessary, indicates sheriff s actions contradicted statements.

the claims south texas war zone , overrun drug trafficking organizations not based on current crime statistics. according fbi uniform crime reports, number of homicides in hidalgo county, texas in 2010 considerably less in other major cities across texas. year, 36 homicides reported, while houston reported 269 homicides, dallas reported 148, san antonio reported 79, , austin reported 38.