Tagged: drug-related violence

About Drug Lord, the Life and Death of a Mexican Kingpin

Pablo Acosta posed for the author in front of the shot up Ford Bronco he was in when ambushed by a rival drug trafficker.

CHARLES BOWDEN, AUTHOR OF Down By the River, Juarez, the Laboratory of Our Future, and numerous other great books, has this to say about Drug Lord in his Preface to the 3rd edition:

“This book could function as an owner’s manual for the Mexican drug cartels. Here is found the first good description of the plaza, that arrangement where the Mexican government seeks a partner to supervise all criminal activity in a city. How to maintain discipline by killing everyone connected to a lost load lest a traitor survive. And also the history of the shift of power from Columbia to Mexico, when American efforts hampered the pathways in Florida and made Mexico the trampoline for cocaine shipments into the U.S. markets. I remember in the mid-nineties paying fifty bucks for a copy in a used bookstore in El Paso and being damned happy to get my hands on it.

Terence Poppa was a reporter for the El Paso Herald who in the eighties captured the rise and fall of Pablo Acosta in Ojinaga, the border town across from Presidio, Texas, and by that act wrote the history of the key moment when flights of cocaine from Columbia entered the Mexican economy. He interviewed the players, got down their life histories and made the indelible point that the people their own country wrote off as ill-educated bumpkins were creative and were turning power on in its head in the nation. Acosta’s slaughter by Mexican comandante Guillermo Calderoni with the help of the FBI ended this kind of access. Since then becoming famous and talking to the press has been seen as a fatal decision. And since then the Mexican drug industry has become a source of thirty to fifty billion dollars of foreign currency a year for the Mexican economy—second only to oil and now the oil fields of Mexico are collapsing.

His book has to be ignored by those who run countries and work for agencies. While they sketch monoliths they call cartels, Poppa actually describes in detail a world of shifting alliances, small pods of operators knitted together, and billions of dollars sloshing around in dusty towns and cities. He is the historian of the actual fabric of life as opposed to being the mouthpiece for government rhetoric.

If you wish to be as ignorant and dishonest as your public officials when they mouth the pieties of the War on Drugs, then avoid this book at all costs. But if you want to know how it works and why it works and why it will keep on working, read this book.

Besides, it is an adventure story as the working poor of Mexico claw their way to a new golden hell. Since it was published, only the names have changed. This is the story behind the lies of the headlines. The business goes on, the slaughtered dead pile up, the U.S. agencies continue to ratchet up their budgets, the prisons grow larger and all the real rules of the game are in this book, some kind of masterpiece.

And it’s a damn good read, too.

Get this classic book about Pablo Acosta from amazon.com

Get this classic book about Pablo Acosta from :Amazon.com

WITH THIS WEBSITE, we are offering you a preview of this world. Herein are photos taken by the author of Acosta only six months before the drug lord’s dramatic death in an adobe village at the edge of the Rio Grande. You will learn about the early career of Amado Carrillo Fuentes, Acosta’s partner in crime who later became the founder of the Juarez drug cartel and one of the most powerful drug traffickers ever to emerge in Mexico.

As an added feature, the website will also post breaking news about the border, Mexico, and the growing chaos along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Drug Lord is a must-read book for anyone concerned about Mexico’s escalating drug violence, massive human smuggling, and what it means for the United States and for all of North America.

SOME REVIEWS:

“Mr. Poppa has crafted an eerily even-handed history of Mr. Acosta’s rise and fall. The result is a believable, roach-eye view of a gloomy business that has worked as much havoc on American culture as the Vietnam War.”—The Dallas Morning News

“The author has more to offer than a sensational story of a brutal border jefe. He weaves into it a broad view of the border milieu, traces the roots of the smuggling trade, and outlines the succession of Ojinaga drug lords who preceded Acosta.”—Texas Monthly

“Mr. Poppa is a first-rate journalist who has painstakingly cross-checked the testimony of convicted dealers, drug agents, and police to document the rise and fall of one of the most notorious drug lords, Pablo Acosta.”—The Wall Street Journal.

“Poppa is a gifted storyteller who has a clear-eye for detail. He found the reality of drug smuggling along the border and tells us what he found.”—Albuquerque Journal

Drug Lord is one of the few stories about double-dealing, murder, and endemic Mexican government corruption ever told from inside a drug ring, and is a must for anyone who wants to understand how drug rings really operate.”—Penthouse Magazine

Introduction by the author

This book came about because of the kidnapping of an American newspaper photographer by a Juarez drug trafficker, a brutal and unprecedented event that caused an international scandal and brought about the downfall of one of the major drug traffickers of the time.

Until the kidnapping, I didn’t have much interest in the subject of drugs. Drug trafficking was part of the background noise of the El Paso-Juarez region where I worked as a reporter. It was low keyed even in its violence; it did not draw too much attention to itself. My journalistic work, which had begun for the El Paso Herald-Post in 1984, focused primarily on reporting on a political movement in northern Mexico that was challenging the entrenched one-party system that had ruled Mexico since 1929. Juarez, the largest city in the state of Chihuahua, was the scene of what today would be called a “color” revolution — a democratic movement that used tactics of non-violent resistance to achieve its goals. Such a revolution was unfolding only ten blocks south of the newspaper, just on the other side of the Rio Grande. Read more »

Distrito Bravo: The Outlaw District

READ THIS TERRIFIC NEW MEMOIR about drug enforcement along our increasingly lawless southern border by retired U.S. Customs James C. Marchant. Stationed out of El Paso, Texas, the author spent three decades confronting drug traffickers, modern-day gunslingers, and desperados of every stripe in the badlands along the Rio Grande downstream from El Paso. A truly remarkable story, told with a writer’s eye for telling detail.

From the Amazon book page:

Conflict at the U.S./Mexico border has been brewing for decades . . . but the drug lords aren’t the only enemy.

In the lawless Distrito Bravo region, U.S. Customs Special Agent James Marchant develops a fearsome reputation for his uncanny ability to ambush drug smugglers and thwart their deals.

Surprisingly, his success is largely due to his determination to treat all people with respect and dignity. Marchant forges indelible friendships with civilians on both sides of the border and also with some of the very criminals he pursues. The brave souls in Marchant’s network risk everything to help him.

When his victories attract attention in Washington, D.C., Marchant soon learns the cartels aren’t the only enemy he faces. Corrupt individuals within U.S. government agencies are profiting from the continued war on drugs—but he stands in their way.

Marchant confronts dangerous foes both within his government and across the border, finding courage in his commitment to truth and justice. His experience on the front lines of America’s drug war shines a light on current border policies, their effect on the region, and the truth about how high-stakes decisions are actually made.

A sampling of praise for Distrito Bravo:

“I started this book and could not put it down!” Sgt. First Class (Ret.) William “Bill” Baggs

Distrito Bravo Is an eye-opening account of crime, families, crime families, friendships, and faith along the U.S.-Mexico border. The dual threat of narcotics-murderers in Mexican cartels and cowardly, corrupt political operatives in the U.S. government is put into clear focus . . . a detailed, compelling, firsthand overview of 30 years of bungled border policy that people of all political stripes concerned about border security, concerned about the safety of women and children at the border, and concerned about civil liberties in the United States, should read.” —Marcel Sanchez, El Paso educator

Distrito Bravo is an accurate, detailed record of events that took place on the U.S. border around El Paso, Texas. Exemplary job performances and dedication to duty of U.S. Customs agents are shown struggling with bureaucratic oversight that frequently hindered real border enforcement operations. Senior officials never hesitated to disavow of pull support from such operations should any unforeseen event disrupt their political agendas. These agents put their lives on the line in service to our country, fighting the free flow of narcotics into our cities and communities.” —Michael Warren, pilot (Ret.), Governor’s Office, State of New Mexico

“This book had to be written! Marchant makes the reader aware of what happened at our borders from the ‘70s to the ‘90s, and it is still happening at the present time. The book shows how difficult it is for dedicated law enforcement officers to do their jobs. It is essential reading to be able to understand the current situation at our southern border. Hopefully, it will trigger the changes necessary to secure our border. Unfortunately, those changes must come from the top, initiated by competent leaders who put the well-being of our nation before their own personal interests.” —Gerd R. Holz, former E-8 MSG, German Air Force and U.S. citizen

[AMAZON]

Against the Wind: Fighting America’s Drug War on the Rio Grande Paperback

TAKE A LOOK at this new and important book by former federal drug agent David Regela about our lawless border with Mexico, now undergoing a virtual migrant invasion along with the usual massive smuggling of dangerous drugs. The author came to the border just as drug trafficking exploded with the arrival of tons of Colombian cocaine. He stood his ground against a seeming wall of smugglers who took advantage of our poorly guarded border to bring in harmful drugs. Regela arrested many of them, sending them off to jail to serve often long sentences. Against the Wind is an exciting account of his work, and an eye-opener about the ever-worsening state of our border with Mexico.

From the Amazon book page for Against the Wind:

Pablo Acosta and Amado Carrillo-Fuentes have become infamous . . . but the agents who risk everything to stop the drug lords remain in obscurity. Now, Agent David Regela exposes the shocking truth about the real enemies in the war on drugs.

As a new federal agent for the U.S. Customs Service, David Regela was eager to help stabilize the situation along the southern border. On the front lines in this lawless territory, his survival depended on quick reflexes and even faster thinking. At any moment, he might be in an Old West–style gunfight or deep undercover within a multimillion-dollar drug operation.

During his career, Regela’s courageous contributions resulted in several noteworthy successes. Award-winning journalist Charles Bowden (Down by the River) names Regela the only undercover agent to get close to Amado Carrillo-Fuentes, the fabled Lord of the Skies. Regela also interacted extensively with Mexican warlord Pablo Acosta.

But success came at a price. Corrupt, self-serving agents within various U.S. agencies benefited by perpetuating the war on drugs, and Regela became the target of an unethical internal investigation designed to arrest him.

He would have to choose between his career and his integrity.
Regela’s fascinating account provides an inside look at how the war on drugs has created a killing field along the border today. Against the Wind is a must-read for citizens seeking to be more informed about this volatile region.

A sampling of praise for Against the Wind:

“Bandidos, shootouts, undercover capers, close calls, drug lords—Regela takes you for a wild ride in the still Wild West.” —Daryl Barnes, Attorney at Law

“An accurate account of the undercover king. I know. I lived many of those pages with Special Agent Regela.” —James Marchant, Retired Special Agent, U.S. Customs Service

“Regela’s tale is artfully crafted and leaves the reader wishing for more stories at the end. His moral code seems to have emerged intact after repeated challenges. Personally brave, sometimes reckless, Regela interestingly avoided deadly force in multiple instances where it was justified.” —Former Criminal Prosecutor, National Wildlife Magazine Publisher

“I had the honor of working narcotics during the tenure of David Regela. He was known for his undercover ability and the unreal cases he brought to the table—admired by other top investigators and hated by those incapable of doing the job. This account brings those days stunningly back to life.” —Johnny Eoff, Former El Paso Police Department Swat Team Leader

[AMAZON]

Mexican cartel targets SUV drivers for carjackings near Texas border

(BREITBART) — REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — Gun battles, carjackings, and kidnappings continue to take place every day in this border city as two rival factions of the Gulf Cartel continue to fight for control.

In recent days, cartel gunmen targeted average citizens for daylight carjackings in their efforts to steal four-door SUVs. The teams of cartel gunmen stole trucks at gunpoint near the Anzalduas International Bridge, near the city’s downtown area.

Mexican law enforcement sources consulted by Breitbart Texas revealed that SUVs are a favored by cartel gunmen due to powerful engines; high clearances for dirt roads; and the four doors allow each gunman the ability to shoot in and out of the vehicle with relative ease. SUVs are used in large-scale gun battles along rural dirt roads or in the main city streets when rival cartel factions clash.

Mexican law enforcement officials have been targeting these convoys, many times finding them and clashing with them before the rival cartel factions meet. This has led to a large number of shootouts between law enforcement and cartel gunmen.

[READ MORE]

Drug Lord now available in Spanish: El zar de la droga

(DRUGLORD.COM) — El zar de la droga es la biografía de Pablo Acosta, narco mexicano que contruyó uno de los más poderosos imperios en la historia del narcotráfico mundial. También es la historia de la corrupción, violencia sin límite y opulencia del infernal mundo de los narcotraficantes.

Acosta convirtió a Ojinaga, Chihuahua, en el mayor “depósito” de cocaina del mundo occidental, desde donde abastecía la demanda de toda la Unión Americana. El zar de la droga revela los orígenes de este poderoso delinquente, su ascenso, contactos, métodos de intimidación, forma de operar y sus crímenes.

El zar de la droga es un reportaje periodístico absolutaments cierto e impresionante que a usted lo estremecerá.

[<a href=”https://druglord.com/2017/06/drug-lord-now-spanish///”>READ MORE</a>]

DRUG LORD NOW AVAILABLE IN SPANISH!

El zar de la droga es la biografía de Pablo Acosta, narco mexicano que contruyó uno de los más poderosos imperios en la historia del narcotráfico mundial. También es la historia de la corrupción, violencia sin límite y opulencia del infernal mundo de los narcotraficantes.

Acosta convirtió a Ojinaga, Chihuahua, en el mayor depósito de cocaina del mundo occidental, desde donde abastecía la demanda de toda la Unión Americana. El zar de la droga revela los orígenes de este poderoso delinquente, su ascenso, contactos, métodos de intimidación, forma de operar y sus crímenes.

El zar de la droga es un reportaje periodístico absolutaments cierto e impresionante que a usted lo estremecerá.

LO QUE DICEN LOS PERIODICOS INFLUYENTES DE EL ZAR DE LA DROGA

Get the Spanish version from Amazon.com

“Terrence E. Poppa es un periodista de primera línea que ha examinado a conciencia los testimonios de traficantes agentes de narcóticos y policías, para documentar el ascenso y la caída de uno de los mas célebres narcotraficantes, Pablo Acosta.” —Wall Street Journal

“Poppa ha causado conmoción con su descripción de las convenciones utilizadas en la industria del narcotráfico. Ha penetrado sus secretos.” —Dallas Morning News

“Poppa es un talentoso narrador con clara visión para el detalle. Indagó en la realidad del tráfico de drogas . . . y nos cuenta lo que encontró.” —Albuquerque Journal

“Terrence Poppa ha realizado un increíble reportaje de investigación. Esta es la verdadera frontera: cruda, sangrienta, siempre cambiante y siempre intrigante. La historia de Poppa lo estesmecerá . . . y todo en ella es la verdad.” —Elaine Shannon, autora de Desperados, Los narcotraficantes latinoamericanos, los legisladores estadounidneses y la guerra que Estados Unidos no puede ganar.

36 killed in month-long cartel war near Texas

(BREITBART) — REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — Raging violence continues to take hold of this border city as rival factions of the Gulf Cartel fight for control claimed 36 deaths–including a bystander and one police officer.

As Breitbart Texas reported, the violence began in late April, shortly after Mexican authorities hunted down and killed regional Gulf boss Juan Manuel “Toro” Loiza Salinas. The death of the ruthless cartel kingpin led to an immediate power vacuum as various factions fight for control of the city and surrounding smuggling routes.

The fight has led to convoys of gunmen driving around Reynosa hunting for rivals. Some of the shooters ride in vehicles with “M-42” spray-painted on the side, indicating former allegiance to Toro. As Breitbart Texas reported, the violence has also led to a spike in crime as cartel gunmen carry out daytime robberies at various establishments and against unsuspecting motorists.

Over the weekend, rival gunmen clashed three separate times, spreading fear among local residents. In one of the clashes, forces exchanged gunfire in the Lopez Portillo neighborhood where neighbors reported that four gunmen died in the clash.

[READ MORE]

Judge presiding over ‘El Chapo’s’ case shot, killed while jogging outside home

(MY SAN ANTONIO) — The judge who presided over Sinaloa Cartel drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s case was shot in the head while jogging outside of his home Monday near Mexico City, according to media reports.

Judge Vicente Bermudez Zacarias, 37, was the judge presiding over Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman’s case, according to SDP Noticias. Zacarias lived in Metepec, which is 45 miles west of Mexico City.

SDP Noticias reported that the person who shot Zacarias fled the scene. Zacarias later died at the hospital in Metepec.

[READ MORE]

Mexico’s brutal drug violence has hit a new level of complexity

(BUSINESS INSIDER) — By Christopher Woody

Public displays of brutality have become common as drug-related violence roiled Mexico over the last decade.

The recent discovery of a man’s body on top of a hospital in northwest Mexico, apparently dropped there from an airplane, takes that brutality to a new level of complexity.

The body reportedly landed on the roof of a hospital in the town of El Dorado, about 38 miles southwest of Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa state.

Witnesses reported seeing a person thrown out of a plane flying low over a Mexican Institute of Social Security hospital on April 12, a health official told Reuters, saying the incident occurred around 7:30 a.m.

Officials were unable to identify the body, clad in a red shirt, gray socks, and without pants, due to damage from the fall, though Mileno reported that it had signs of torture.

State prosecutors said the body had signs of severe trauma in line with “impact on the hard surface.”

“It is a man, but we don’t know more … The impact of the fall makes it more difficult to be able to identify him or the wounds he suffered,” Antonio Garcia, spokesman for the IMSS, which runs the hospital, told The Washington Post.

“I can’t recall anything like this happening before,” he said.

[READ MORE