Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08GUADALAJARA617
2008-12-24 20:56:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Guadalajara
Cable title:
BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS: MISS SINALOA DETAINED WITH DRUG
how-toVZCZCXRO4963 RR RUEHCD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM DE RUEHGD #0617 3592056 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 242056Z DEC 08 FM AMCONSUL GUADALAJARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1165 INFO RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO 2348 RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE RUEHGD/AMCONSUL GUADALAJARA 5221
UNCLAS GUADALAJARA 000617
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC MX
SUBJECT: BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS: MISS SINALOA DETAINED WITH DRUG
THUGS
REF: Guadalajara 506
UNCLAS GUADALAJARA 000617
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC MX
SUBJECT: BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS: MISS SINALOA DETAINED WITH DRUG
THUGS
REF: Guadalajara 506
1. (U) A December 23 joint military and police operation
against suspected narcotraffickers in the Guadalajara suburb of
Zapopan turned up an unexpected surprise: among the eight
individuals detained with a quantity of guns, ammunition, and
money was Laura Zuniga Huizar, currently Miss Sinaloa 2008 as
well as Miss Hispanic America 2008. Also in the group was Angel
Orlando Garcia, brother of Ricardo Garcia - an important leader
of the Juarez drug cartel. Some of the other detained
individuals are presumed to be members of the Zetas - the
notorious enforcement arm of the Gulf Cartel.
2. (SBU) While the beauty queen's arrest dominated the press
and the airwaves, and appears to substantiate the stereotype
that many traffickers cannot resist flaunting their guns, girls,
and gold, the real significance of this event is the growing
evidence of infiltration by rival drug cartels into the
Guadalajara area. As noted in reftel, the city has been
dominated by the Sinaloa cartel ("Federation") which has helped
maintain a relative calm compared to other areas where open
conflict rages. Ricardo Garcia is an ally of Arturo Beltran
Leyva (ABL) - a bitter foe of Federation leader "El Chapo"
Guzman and the presumed architect of several recent attacks on
police forces in Guadalajara and surrounding communities.
Combined with the arrest last month of 18 alleged Zetas in the
suburb of Tonala, the presence of an important Juarez cartel
figure here may presage an attempt by ABL and his allies to
muscle in on the Federation's turf, which would certainly cause
an upsurge in violence.
3. (SBU) Post is in close contact with the local authorities
regarding the investigation of this incident, and will report
developments. One positive factor of note is the success of the
joint military-police operation, carried out from a "Mixed
Operations Base" (Base de Operacion Mixta - BOM). Coordination
of the various security forces in the metropolitan area has
always been a challenge, but the BOM concept appears to be
working well.
RAMOTOWSKI
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SNAR KCRM ASEC MX
SUBJECT: BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS: MISS SINALOA DETAINED WITH DRUG
THUGS
REF: Guadalajara 506
1. (U) A December 23 joint military and police operation
against suspected narcotraffickers in the Guadalajara suburb of
Zapopan turned up an unexpected surprise: among the eight
individuals detained with a quantity of guns, ammunition, and
money was Laura Zuniga Huizar, currently Miss Sinaloa 2008 as
well as Miss Hispanic America 2008. Also in the group was Angel
Orlando Garcia, brother of Ricardo Garcia - an important leader
of the Juarez drug cartel. Some of the other detained
individuals are presumed to be members of the Zetas - the
notorious enforcement arm of the Gulf Cartel.
2. (SBU) While the beauty queen's arrest dominated the press
and the airwaves, and appears to substantiate the stereotype
that many traffickers cannot resist flaunting their guns, girls,
and gold, the real significance of this event is the growing
evidence of infiltration by rival drug cartels into the
Guadalajara area. As noted in reftel, the city has been
dominated by the Sinaloa cartel ("Federation") which has helped
maintain a relative calm compared to other areas where open
conflict rages. Ricardo Garcia is an ally of Arturo Beltran
Leyva (ABL) - a bitter foe of Federation leader "El Chapo"
Guzman and the presumed architect of several recent attacks on
police forces in Guadalajara and surrounding communities.
Combined with the arrest last month of 18 alleged Zetas in the
suburb of Tonala, the presence of an important Juarez cartel
figure here may presage an attempt by ABL and his allies to
muscle in on the Federation's turf, which would certainly cause
an upsurge in violence.
3. (SBU) Post is in close contact with the local authorities
regarding the investigation of this incident, and will report
developments. One positive factor of note is the success of the
joint military-police operation, carried out from a "Mixed
Operations Base" (Base de Operacion Mixta - BOM). Coordination
of the various security forces in the metropolitan area has
always been a challenge, but the BOM concept appears to be
working well.
RAMOTOWSKI