La Línea (gang)
| Founded | 1987 by Amado Carrillo Fuentes and Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo |
|---|---|
| In | Ciudad Juárez |
| Territory | Chihuahua, Texas |
| Ethnicity | Mexican |
| Criminal activities | Drug trafficking, people smuggling, money laundering, extortion, kidnapping, racketeering, murder, arms trafficking.[1] |
| Allies | Juárez Cartel, Los Zetas |
| Rivals | Sinaloa Cartel |
La Línea ("The Line") is a group of Mexican drug traffickers and corrupt Juárez and Chihuahua state police officers who work as the armed wing of the Juárez Cartel, which controls one of the primary transportation routes for billions of dollars worth of illegal drug shipments annually entering the United States from Mexico. About 70% of the cocaine that reaches the United States flows through the El Paso–Juárez border.[2][3]
La Línea is a ruthless gang that has been known to decapitate their rivals, mutilate their corpses and dispose of them in public to instill fear, not only in the general public, but also in local law enforcement and their rivals.[3][4]
On January 30, 2010, about 12 gunmen (sicarios, Spanish for hitman) from La Línea attacked a high school birthday party with AK-47 assault rifles, killing 16 teenagers and wounding 14.[5] Apparently, they thought one of the students may have been an informant.[6]
On July 16, 2010, La Línea set up a car bomb ambush in Ciudad Juárez which killed two police officer and a medic.[1] Initially it was believed that C-4 explosives were used. Upon further investigation by authorities, with U.S. help, it was concluded that an industrial explosive named Tovex was used.[2]
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[edit] Known associates
Mexican authorities believe that Juárez cartel lieutenant José Luis Fratello is the operative leader of La Línea.[7] Another operative is Benjamin "Cachitas" Valerano; he is still active and believed to live in Chihuahua, Chihuahua.[8] José Antonio Acosta Hernández, better known as "El Diego," top lieutenant of La Línea in the state of Chihuahua, was captured in a federal police operation on July 28, 2011;[9] there was a $15 million peso ($1.2 million USD) reward in Mexico and a $5 million USD in U.S.A. for information leading to his capture.[10] After his arrest at the end of July, Jesus Antonio Rincón Chavero "El Tarzán" or "El Coman" emerged as the plaza lider. Rincón did not last long as plaza boss in the state capital; he was arrested by the Mexican Army only hours after he was publicly named the successor. Guillermo Castillo Rubio or Luis Guillermo Carrillo Rubio "El Pariente", the latest leader of La Linea was killed on February 5, 2012 in a clash with soldiers in Villa Ahumada.
[edit] New Juárez Cartel
In September 2011, the Mexican Federal Police informed that the cartel is now known as as "Nuevo Cartel de Juárez" (New Juárez Cartel). It is alleged that the 'New Juárez Cartel' is responsible of recent federal and municipal police executions in Ciudad Juárez and Chihuahua.[11]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ McCAUL, MICHAEL T.. "A Line in the Sand: Confronting the Threat at the Southwest Border". HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY. http://www.house.gov/sites/members/tx10_mccaul/pdf/Investigaions-Border-Report.pdf. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
- ^ "Mexican officials warn Americans to stay away". Los Angeles Independent Media Center. May. 23, 2008. http://la.indymedia.org/news/2008/05/217822.php. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
- ^ a b "Sources: U.S. informant oversaw killings". Dallas Morning News. March 13, 2004. http://www.customscorruption.com/informantkillings.htm. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
- ^ "Juarez murders shine light on an emerging 'Military Cartel'". NarcoSphere. December 6, 2008. http://narcosphere.narconews.com/notebook/bill-conroy/2008/12/juarez-murders-shine-light-emerging-military-cartel. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
- ^ "Mexican Gang Commando Leader Involved In Juárez Student Massacre Killed". Hispanic News Network. February 4, 2010. http://hispanicnewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2010/02/mexican-gang-commando-leader-involved.html. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
- ^ "Masacre de estudiantes conmociona a Juárez" (in Spanish). AladiaTX. February 2, 2010. http://www.aldiatx.com/sharedcontent/dws/aldia/mexico/stories/DN-Juarez_03dia.State.Edition1.2c29c33.html. Retrieved 2010-03-08.
- ^ "Indagan a Los Aztecas por masacre en Ciudad Juárez" (in Spanish). El Milenio. February 2, 2010. http://www.milenio.com/node/372868. Retrieved 2010-09-30.
- ^ "DEA FUGITIVE: VALERIANO, Benjamin Jr.". U.S. Drug enforcement administration. 2010. http://www.justice.gov/dea/fugitives/elpaso/valeriano.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-16.
- ^ ""El Diego" líder de "La Línea", imágenes del lugar de su captura". Canal 44. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1nH-We9SeQ&feature=feedu.
- ^ Cae el líder de ‘La Línea’, autor de mil 500 crímenes
- ^ Update: Leyzaola says New Juárez Cartel responsible for attacks on Juárez police El Paso Times (January 30, 2012)
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