224 kilograms of meth, 22 suspects arrested in dismantling of Mexico-U.S. narco-trafficking ring
Rubio, a doctor, was a major contributor to the Valor por Tamaulipas website, which posts articles about drug cartel activities. Under the pseudonym “Catwoman,” she posted stories and photos of crime scenes and missing persons, as well as photos of alleged drug cartel operatives. She also posted information about drug cartel activities on Twitter under the handle Felina@Miut3. Consequently, officials in California are bolstering the state’s counter-narcotics efforts with a $1 million (USD) federal grant to create a new anti- methamphetamine team of specialized agents based in Los Angeles under the California Department of Justice. The unit will work with other existing 18 counter-narcotics state forces. By Dialogo October 27, 2014 Local and state police in California arrested 22 people, seized 224 kilograms of methamphetamine worth an estimated $18 million (USD), and confiscated US $735,635 when they broke up an alleged drug trafficking ring coordinated by the Sinaloa Cartel. Rubio, a doctor, was a major contributor to the Valor por Tamaulipas website, which posts articles about drug cartel activities. Under the pseudonym “Catwoman,” she posted stories and photos of crime scenes and missing persons, as well as photos of alleged drug cartel operatives. She also posted information about drug cartel activities on Twitter under the handle Felina@Miut3. On October 15, gunmen abducted Rubio as she left her workplace. The following day, a tweet from the Twitter account of Felina@Miut3 said, “Friends and family, my real name is Maria Del Rosario Fuentes Rubio, I’m a doctor and today my life has come to an end.” The recent drug bust builds on other law enforcement operations in the region which cracked down on drug trafficking from Mexico. Collectively, since 2008, those operations resulted in the seizure of more than 500 kilograms of methamphetamine, worth an estimated $40 million (USD). Law enforcement officers in California also seized, altogether, 48 firearms, 10 vehicles, and more than $1.8 million (USD) in cash. The Sinaloa Cartel, Los Zetas, and other Mexican transnational criminal organizations traffic large amounts of drugs into California. Valor de Tamaulipas has built a significant following, with more than 510,000 Facebook fans and 100,000 Twitter followers. The Sinaloa Cartel allegedly smuggled the synthetic drugs into California through the Mexico-U.S. border, and then north to the Costa County region. The drug trafficking ring is suspected of taking some of the drugs even further north into Canada. The recent drug bust builds on other law enforcement operations in the region which cracked down on drug trafficking from Mexico. Collectively, since 2008, those operations resulted in the seizure of more than 500 kilograms of methamphetamine, worth an estimated $40 million (USD). Law enforcement officers in California also seized, altogether, 48 firearms, 10 vehicles, and more than $1.8 million (USD) in cash. María del Rosario Fuentes Rubio paid the ultimate price for exposing the criminal actions of Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel. Mexican law enforcement authorities suspect drug cartel operatives kidnapped and killed the social media journalist, who wrote about drug cartel killings, kidnappings, extortions, and other criminal acts in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Mexican social media journalist María del Rosario Fuentes Rubio killed The Sinaloa Cartel, Los Zetas, and other Mexican transnational criminal organizations traffic large amounts of drugs into California. “The criminal enterprise began in a faraway place, but make no mistake about it, they brought their drugs and their crime and their violence to our region, to our communities and to our neighborhoods,” said Sylvia Moir, the chief of the police department in El Cerrito, a town in Contra Costa County. The Sinaloa Cartel allegedly smuggled the synthetic drugs into California through the Mexico-U.S. border, and then north to the Costa County region. The drug trafficking ring is suspected of taking some of the drugs even further north into Canada. “This is going to make a significant impact not only here in Contra Costa County, but throughout the state of California and elsewhere,” Kenneth Shaw, the deputy director for the California Department of Justice, told reporters. “One thing we have to realize is that we have a massive methamphetamine problem in our state, and it’s getting worse.” The amount of drugs seized was “absolutely staggering,” according to Mark Peterson, the district attorney for Contra Costa County in the northern section of California. Rubio is the seventh journalist to be killed in Mexico since January 2013, according to Reporters Without Borders. María del Rosario Fuentes Rubio paid the ultimate price for exposing the criminal actions of Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel. Mexican law enforcement authorities suspect drug cartel operatives kidnapped and killed the social media journalist, who wrote about drug cartel killings, kidnappings, extortions, and other criminal acts in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Rubio is the seventh journalist to be killed in Mexico since January 2013, according to Reporters Without Borders. A photo of Rubio facing the camera was posted, followed by a photo of her lifeless body, after she had apparently been shot in the face. One of the Sinaloa Cartel’s major drug trafficking pipelines from Mexico into Northern California has been shut down. Mexican social media journalist María del Rosario Fuentes Rubio killed The amount of drugs seized was “absolutely staggering,” according to Mark Peterson, the district attorney for Contra Costa County in the northern section of California. One of the Sinaloa Cartel’s major drug trafficking pipelines from Mexico into Northern California has been shut down. Valor de Tamaulipas has built a significant following, with more than 510,000 Facebook fans and 100,000 Twitter followers. The Tamaulipas State Prosecutor’s office is investigating the killing and kidnapping. A photo of Rubio facing the camera was posted, followed by a photo of her lifeless body, after she had apparently been shot in the face. Local and state police in California arrested 22 people, seized 224 kilograms of methamphetamine worth an estimated $18 million (USD), and confiscated US $735,635 when they broke up an alleged drug trafficking ring coordinated by the Sinaloa Cartel. “The criminal enterprise began in a faraway place, but make no mistake about it, they brought their drugs and their crime and their violence to our region, to our communities and to our neighborhoods,” said Sylvia Moir, the chief of the police department in El Cerrito, a town in Contra Costa County. On October 15, gunmen abducted Rubio as she left her workplace. The following day, a tweet from the Twitter account of Felina@Miut3 said, “Friends and family, my real name is Maria Del Rosario Fuentes Rubio, I’m a doctor and today my life has come to an end.” Consequently, officials in California are bolstering the state’s counter-narcotics efforts with a $1 million (USD) federal grant to create a new anti- methamphetamine team of specialized agents based in Los Angeles under the California Department of Justice. The unit will work with other existing 18 counter-narcotics state forces. The Tamaulipas State Prosecutor’s office is investigating the killing and kidnapping. “This is going to make a significant impact not only here in Contra Costa County, but throughout the state of California and elsewhere,” Kenneth Shaw, the deputy director for the California Department of Justice, told reporters. “One thing we have to realize is that we have a massive methamphetamine problem in our state, and it’s getting worse.”