Tagged: drug smuggling

US-Mexico drug tunnels evolving amid increased border security

(KPBS) — By Jean Guerrero
The inside of the

Photo by Jean Guerrero

Under the corrugated steel plates that divide the U.S. and Mexico in Otay Mesa, dozens of clandestine cross-border tunnels slash through the soil.

As President Trump looks to build new barriers along the border, criminal organizations in Mexico are improving the tunnels they use to smuggle people and drugs under the border fence – making them smaller and maintaining a high level of sophistication, featuring electricity and railways.

Smuggling tunnels vary in shape and size, but generally fall under one of these three categories, according to U.S. Border Patrol:

— Rudimentary tunnels, or “gopher holes,” are cheaply made and stretch short distances, maybe 50 feet. They are used to smuggle humans or small quantities of drugs under the border.

— Interconnecting tunnels exploit existing municipal infrastructure, linking up with storm drains and sewer lines. They are used to smuggle humans and drugs under the border.

— Sophisticated tunnels can stretch for long distances (the longest ever found was equivalent to the length of eight football fields) and are often equipped with lighting, electricity, ventilation, water pumps, railways and more. They are used to move large volumes of drugs under the border.

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Ranking Mexican official busted at border smuggling marijuana, cocaine, heroin and meth

(RIGHT WING NEWS) — It’s no surprise that another drug runner/smuggler has just been nabbed on the US/Mexico border. Edgar Veytia is the Attorney General of the state of Nayarit in Mexico. He’s been a bad, bad boy. He’s evidently been running drugs for a very long time.

Veytia was just arrested in San Diego with quite a haul… 1,000 kilos of marijuana, five kilos of cocaine, one kilo of heroin and 500 grams of methamphetamine. He’s being charged with conspiracy to manufacture. I’m sure there are other charges forthcoming as well.

Veytia, who is also known as “Diablo,” “Eepp” and “Lic Veytia,” was indicted on charges including international conspiracy to illegally import, manufacture and distribute heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and cocaine. He’s going away for a long, long time. No diplomatic immunity for this guy. He’s been at this since January 2013. Evidently, the DEA, DHS and the FBI were all involved in bringing this ‘bad hombre’ down. Isn’t it interesting that it didn’t happen under Barack Obama?

From Western Journalism:

One prominent Mexican official learned the hard way that he isn’t above the law in the U.S., having allegedly operated outside it for quite some time.

Edgar Veytia, 46, attorney general of the state of Nayarit, has been arrested in San Diego, Calif., and charged with conspiracy to manufacture cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine and distribute them in the U.S. between January 2013 and February 2017.

Veytia has reportedly used multiple aliases including “Diablo,” “Lic Veytia” and “Eepp.”

The indictment, which was filed in New York earlier in March, states that a minimum of 1,000 kilos of marijuana, five kilos of cocaine, one kilo of heroin and 500 grams of methamphetamine were involved in Veytia’s alleged activities.

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman said the arrest occurred Monday at the Cross Border Xpress bridge, which connects the Tijuana airport with the U.S.

Following his arrest, Veytia was placed in a federal facility in San Diego awaiting an April 11th hearing to determine whether he will be extradited to New York. The feds were investigating and watching this guy for quite some time before they nailed him. Authorities did say that they snagged him as soon as they could.

Defense attorney Guadalupe Valencia said it was “a brand-new case. No one has any info other than the indictment.” The Mexican media is reporting connections between Veytia and a drug cartel. Big surprise there. A rival cartel allegedly attempted to assassinate him in 2011, approximately two years before he became attorney general.

The arrest comes at a time when multiple state officials in Mexico are under investigation for corruption, with two recent governors now being fugitives. The whole government in Mexico is rampantly corrupt. This official though is now in US custody and will face justice here in the US. Told ya illegal immigration was a bad idea guys

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