A massive international money laundering operation based on San Diego has been taken down by a multi-agency task force involving 15 agencies and 24 offices, including the FBI, IRS, DOJ, DEA, ICE, San Diego law enforcement, Mexican Federal Police and the Mexican Financial Intelligence Agency (UIF).
According to recently unsealed indictments, 40 individuals have been charged in connection with an international money-laundering operation with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. The recent indictments brings the total number of defendants in the case to 75, spanning five states and Mexico.
Law enforcement seized more than $6 million dollars, 95 kilograms of meth, 63 kg of heroin, 10 kg of #fentanyl, 92 kg of cocaine, 252 kg of marijuana, and 20 #firearms, including #semiautomatic #assaultrifles and #handguns. https://t.co/sIQKIwqh0E #FBI pic.twitter.com/nwGpFhMHWC
— FBI San Diego (@FBISanDiego) March 8, 2018
In addition to the indictments unsealed today in San Diego, a total of 75 defendants nationwide have been charged across the United States with crimes ranging from #drug distribution to #money-laundering, all stemming from this investigation. #FBI pic.twitter.com/HpVYRjxxgH
— FBI San Diego (@FBISanDiego) March 8, 2018
Jose Roberto Lopez-Albarran, a significant money broker for a Mexican-based international money laundering organization, along with other members of the organization, allegedly laundered tens of millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds from the United States to Mexico between 2015 and 2018. As a result of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than $6 million dollars in United States currency as well as 95 kilograms of methamphetamine, 63 kilograms of heroin, 10 kilograms of fentanyl, 92 kilograms of cocaine, 252 kilograms of marijuana, worth millions of dollars on the streets, and 20 firearms, including semiautomatic assault rifles and handguns. -Justice.gov
Forty Defendants Charged in San Diego with Conspiring To Launder Millions of Dollars in Drug Money for Mexican Cartels read more at https://t.co/9SM1iD3L88 #FBI pic.twitter.com/tzQe9PwlYN
— FBI San Diego (@FBISanDiego) March 9, 2018
Lopez-Albarran oversaw the scheme to transfer millions of dollars in narcotics proceeds from the United States to drug suppliers in Mexico, including individuals working for the Sinaloa Cartel.
The syndicate coordinated their operation using, among other things BlackBerry devices - which as we reported Yesterday, authorities arrested the San Diego-based CEO of a company which provides ultra-secure BlackBerries to the Sinaloa cartel and other organizations involved in the drug trade.
Undercover agents from San Diego were able to infiltrate Lopez-Albarran's organization - gaining his trust over two years until they were tasked with picking up bulk currency across the United States - identifying "money movers" lower down the totem pole in the process. In addition to San Diego, indictments were issued for defendants in Ohio, Kentucky, Kansas and Washington.
Cash pickups took place in parking lots, hotels and restaurants across the country - using hidden vehicle compartments, luggage, duffel, bags and shoeboxes. The cash would then be deposited into funnel bank accounts and wire transferred to Mexican bank accounts associated with fake Mexican companies controlled by the money laundering operation.
"By targeting these money movers, law enforcement was able to discover multiple drug trafficking cells across the United States responsible for importing and distributing substantial quantities of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine," said the Justice Department in a release.
Lopez-Albarran was arrested February 9 in San Diego and remains in federal custody along with several co-defendants arrested between January 11 and January 17, all in San Diego as well. Another lead defendant, Manuel Reynoso Garcia and several co-conspirators were charged last month in San Diego federal court for their roles in the sophisticated money laundering operation.
“We have siphoned the cash and the life out of a San Diego-based international money laundering organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman. “By following the money, we have discovered large quantities of fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine that are no longer destined for the streets of America. That’s a one-two punch that takes these organizations completely out of the ring and makes our communities safer.”
The charges include Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846, and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments (18 U.S.C. 1956(h)). The penalties range from 10 years to life and fines of up $500,000 or twice the value of the contraband recovered by authorities.
“These types of complex investigations, spanning across the nation and our international boundaries, requires a fundamental change in how we share information, coordinate and collaborate. These joint investigations, where shared awareness and decentralized execution was the norm, can and must be how we disrupt these drug trafficking and money laundering networks in the future,” said Special Agent in Charge John A. Brown of the San Diego Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “This case model is built upon the incredible collaboration of the federal, state, and local partners across the United States and in Mexico. Today, this case exemplifies how dedicated collaboration equals success.”
Comments
The (((Federal Reserve))) has laundered 6 trillion. 6 million (muffled “oy vey!” in the distance) is nothing.
In their blizzard of hash tags, the FBI forgot to include the main one: #EricHolder
In reply to The (((Federal Reserve)))… by Tallest Skil
You beat me to it.
6 million? That's laughable. Minuscule.
This is just the CIA's way of saying don't even think of treading on our turf.
Price supports for drugs
In reply to In their blizzard of hash… by Shemp 4 Victory
Recommended reading "The Power of the Dog" a novel by Don Windslow about Mexican cartels, CIA & Bush I.
In reply to adsf by DownWithYogaPants
Need to regulate paper money, criminals are using fiat money for criminal activities, millions and billions.....
In reply to Recommended reading "The… by Whoa Dammit
Wow! A few major drug dealers are arrested. Lots of dope seized.
Now THAT is very unusual, and big news.
In reply to Need to regulate paper money… by Liquid_Silver
I wonder why all the names aren't shown? Must not be Spanish surnames. Maybe 'cause we'd recognize a few of them.
In reply to Wow! A few major drug… by directaction
How many of the #semiautomatic #assaultrifles were part of Fast & Furious?
Only semi auto? Geez, I'd expect full auto, and not accept anything less, from a drug cartel.
Guessing that the Sinaloa cartel missed some payoffs, or the other cartels made better payoffs.
Luckily they pulled this off somewhere other than Oakland.
In reply to Recommended reading "The… by Whoa Dammit
I see a contraband oversize soda in the one image. Nail their asses!
In reply to How many of the … by any_mouse
6 million dollars! Holy Shit!
Will that cover the welfare for illegals in USA for one day?
In reply to How many of the … by any_mouse
Massive Cartel Money Laundering Scheme Busted; $6 Million Cash, Guns, Half-Ton Of Drugs Recovered
So they finally raided the Clinton foundation offices?
In reply to The (((Federal Reserve)))… by Tallest Skil
No.
Raiding the Foundation would have yielded MUCH more! :)
In reply to Massive Cartel Money… by AlaricBalth
The banking gangsters bezzled $ trillions to cause the Great Fnancial Crisis. And some of them now have or had offices in the White House and/or US Treasury. Launder a few $ million: go to prison. Launder a few $ trillion: get an office in the White House or US Treasury.
Look at Martin Shrkeli: he bezzled a few $ Million and he's now on his way to prison, whereas Mnuchin has an office in the US Treasury and Cohn had an office in the White House (or maybe "just" the Old Executive Office Building).
In reply to The (((Federal Reserve)))… by Tallest Skil
MASSIVE!!!
6 million ...
I'm about done with ZH tbh
In reply to The (((Federal Reserve)))… by Tallest Skil
BFD, legalize drugs and this shit goes away.
Does the 6 million even cover the cost of this operation (doubt it)?
Legalizing isn't only way to go. Singapore has no drug dealers and few people doing drugs because they get dealt with very swiftly and severely. Bleeding heart liberal shit and politically correct BS is what makes these scumbags flourish in the west.
In reply to BFD, legalize drugs and this… by buzzardsluck
Any American citizens actually arrested ???
Hmmm ... I wonder if those are Fast and Furious weapons.
And on a side-note, what tactical genius carries a 1911?
Someone who enjoys knockdown power with a proven platform (I would bet however that those are just stolen firearms and were at hand)? Also its hard to tell if those are 45 ACP 1911s.
At least they got that 22LR ar version rifle off the streets...
In reply to Hmmm ... I wonder if those… by navy62802
Don't knock it. The M1911A1 is a well proven semi-automatic pistol that's very reliable and effective when in good operating condition.
In reply to Hmmm ... I wonder if those… by navy62802
Paper or plastic?
Massive?
Fuckers took in $6 mil before breakfast.
Not exactly small fry, but imagine how much the Clinton Bust would be worth, now that would be a Trophy Haul.
About $100 billion!
In reply to Not exactly small fry, but… by Dragon HAwk
Is that enough to pay for the wall?
In reply to About $100 billion! by gregga777
A drop in the bucket compared to what .gov is stealing and wasting.
HSBC is going to be pissed.....
Jerry Brown and his Kalifornia Fools will be mad with these arrest.
By the way, what the hell is that AR-15 type weapon in the bottom of the photo? It looks like an air rifle or something ... definitely not an actual firearm.
Looks like all the bitcoin got away safely.
why no crypto?? oh thats cuz they got caught
well gollie, so what was the last Atty Gen doing? Lynch? Oh yeh going after states that refused to have "gender neutral" bathrooms.
Congratulations. Good work. Keep it up. Do not be discouraged by the size of your task.
FBI found their own drugs and guns?
Wow, the drug auction the gov will hold will be epic. I bet they'll accept bitcoins, too.
There has been a flood of heroin in Northern Cal . Watch for prices to move up this had an effect.
Did they bust the CIA or was it the FBI?
Massive bust - wouldn't even buy you an studio apartment in San Francisco.
OK, I applaud the effort. But a lot more effort will be needed. This is just a drop in the bucket, but if at least keeps another 1K people from becoming addicted, then it is a beginning.
You know, I've never actually really thought about it, but, what the Mexican cartels are doing amounts to war, while the bureaucrats in Mexico play the polka with NAFTA. They probably couldn't care less.
When are we going to hear that Mexico and the US have combined forces to eradicate these drug gangs on BOTH sides of the border, simultaneously. Then, I would be really impressed.
As I remember how NAFTA was sold to us, it was supposed to be about brining Mexican standards of living UP, not having ours DROP. So the multi-nationals are front and centre for blame, followed closely by the Mexican Government (whatever that is, today). They didn't demand decent wages, nor decent living conditions and what little money was paid, remained local, in the Machialidores, which didn't help the Mexican economy one iota. Thus, virtual lawlessness in half the country, with the rest of Latin America badly infected as well.
Where are the Nocoinerz calling for the ban of cash and guns since they are obviously used by criminals? Oh yeah, they use oxygen too.