Joint Operation Nuevo León-Tamaulipas

Operation Nuevo León-Tamaulipas
Part of Mexican Drug War
Location Nuevo León & Tamaulipas, Mexico Result Ongoing
Belligerents
Mexico  Mexican Army  Mexican Navy  Mexican Air Force  Mexican Federal Police	Gulf Cartel	Los Zetas
Commanders and leaders
Felipe Calderón Guillermo Galván Galván	Jorge Eduardo Costilla Antonio Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillén Juan Nepomuceno Guerra (deceased) Juan García Abrego (Captured) Salvador "El Chava" Gómez(assassinated) Osiel Cárdenas (Captured)	Heriberto Lazcano Miguel Treviño Morales
Strength
3,000+	1,000+	1,000+
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown	Unknown

Joint Operation Nuevo León-Tamaulipas is an anti-drug joint operation in two mexican states of Tamaulipas and Nuevo León by Federal Police and the Mexican Armed Forces. The objective of the joint operation is to eliminate Los Zetas and Gulf Cartel operations in the area, so far a large number of cartel members have been either killed or arrested. Recently Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel have broken relations and started fighting each other.

The arrest of Osiel Cárdenas

File:Osiel Cardenas.jpg

Ex leader of the Gulf Cartel

Osiel Cárdenas, leader of the Gulf Cartel at the time was captured by the Mexican Army in a battle between Gulf Cartel gunmen and the Army on March 14, 2003, in Matamoros. Though subsequently incarcerated at Penal del Altiplano (La Palma), México's top security prison, it was widely believed that he continued to have control over Gulf Cartel business from within prison walls.

2007

• On April 3, in Tampico, elements of Federal Police, Mexican Navy, and PGR seized a large number of weapons.

• On April 12, for the first time in the state of Nuevo León, army soldiers confronted cartel gunmen while searching houses in the municipality of Marín. One gunman was reported killed and two were arrested.

• On December 7, In Cadereyta, Nuevo León, army troops fought a gunbattle against gunmen leaving one of them injured and three them in captivity. Two kidnapped civilians were freed.

2008

On January 7, In the city of Río Bravo, Tamaulipas, Federal Police forces spotted and began to pursuit a group of armed men. The pursuit came to an halt, the armed group began shooting at federal police officers, when Army and Federal Police reinforcements came to scene the gunmen sought cover in a building where the Military/Federal police confronted them killing 3 and arresting 10 of the armed group.

In the municipality of Miguel Alemán, Tamaulipas, on February 7 , soldiers from the army's 1st Special Forces Battalion carrying out a recon mission spotted a suspect aboard a grand Cherokee, when the suspected realize he was being under surveillance he attempted to flee but was apprehended. following the arrest the special forces team stormed inside the building arresting another four suspects and seizing 9 tons of marijuana, 89 weapons plus a M1919 Browing machine gun. The following month on March 5, Army personnel from the 8th Military Zone acting on a tip given to the 15th Infantry Battalion arrested 8 public officials that were receiving bribe money that turned out to be agents of the Ministeral Police (Policia Ministerial), two days later they were handed over to the PGR's SIEDO.

In April 30 acting upon an anymous tip, army pesonnel from the 1st Motorized Cavalry Regiment in the city of Ciudad Mier were fired up by gunmen and fled, consequently one calvary soldier was killed, while three were injured and transported to there Regional Military Hospital in Monterrey.

2009

Gunbattle in Reynosa

A multiple-hour running gun battle between elements of the Army and unknown attackers (sicarios) resulted in five dead soldiers and 5 dead assailants in a shopping district and several residential neighborhoods of Reynosa, Tamaulipas. Approximately 20 additional people were injured by gunfire and grenades.

Televisa grenade attack

On January 7, gunmen fired on and threw grenades at the Televisa TV station in Monterrey during a nightly newscast, causing no injuries. A note left on the scene read: "Stop reporting just on us. Report on the narco's political leaders."

Confrontations

On April 1, In Tampico, Tamaulipas, three gunmen were killed while in a 10 minute gunfight with army troops.

Arrest of major suspects

On April 10, A lawyer who defends members of the Gulf cartel and Los Zetas was arrested

• An ex Special forces soldier of the Guatelaman Army known as Kaibiles and assumed leader of the Oaxaca state chapter of Los Zetas Israel Nava Cortez aka "El Ostión" was killed in a shootout between Federal Police forces.

On April 30, Federal Police arrest Gregorio Sauceda Gamboa, an influential figure in Los Zetas, was captured in the city of Matamoros.

On May 22, the Secretariat of Defense reported that one of the main lieutenants of the Gulf Cartel —Raymundo Almanza Morales, a.k.a.: "El Gori"— had been arrested by troops in Monterrey, Nuevo León. "El Gori" is among the 37 most wanted drug traffickers in Mexico.

On August 17, In the municipality of San Nicolás de los Garza, a gunbattle between soldiers, police forces and a Los zetas cell of that municipality left three soldiers injured, four members of the Los Zetas (One of the four dead apparently was the cells leader,Refugio Garza Pescador aka "El Rambo") dead and twelve Zeta members captured. After the gunfight it was discovered that one of the Zeta members is actually the pregnant daughter of a Municipal Police chief of Apodaca. It is suspected that the father of the unborn child is Refugio Pescador aka "El Rambo".

2010

Note: From February 8 to 18 Mexican Naval operations and events are listed below:

• February 8 - In Reynosa, During a routine patrol Marines were received gunfire from gunmen inside various vehicles. Marines repelled the attack and captured 3 of the gunmen, 14 trucks, various assault rifles, ammunition, and 26 packages of marijuana. During the firefight 3 marines were killed and 8 were injured, 3 gunmen were also killed.

• February 11 - Matamoros, Tamaulipas, two individuals name Adolfo Vázquez Ortiz and José Alberto Ramírez Gaitán were arrested. The two men haved been accused of being link with Organize crime and having a connection with a criminal group that was involved in the attack of marines on February 8 in Reynosa. Both men were sent to the federal authorities in Mexico City.

• February 12 - In Méndez, Tamaulipas, Marines raided the ranch of "El Culebreño". Naval personnel discovered and seized: 5 assault rifles, 2 pistols, ammunition, one package of marijuana, and 8 vehicles.

• February 15 - In Reynosa, Tamaulipas. Mexican Marines captured Treviño Cardoza “El Trevi” a known member of Los Zetas along with 6 accomplices. "El Trevi" is known for drug smuggling specifically marijuana. During the course of the operation marines received gunfire from the suspects and returned fire which led to his capture.

• February 18 - Near Reynosa, PEMEX personnel informed the Military that armed men were present in a PEMEX instalation. A Naval helicopter was dispatch and spotted three suspicious vehicles, marines disembarked the helicopter and were met with gunfire. Marines repeled the attack and captured 5 vehicles, inside them were packages of marijuana with the weight of 4,413 kilos, the gunmen managed to fled.
  • On the same day, due to the success of Air - Sea patrols, and checkpoints in Valle Hermoso, Tamaulipas, four drug traffickers, 4 trucks, 2 assault rifles, 9 rifle magazines and 186 catridges were seized.

Note: From March 4 - 5 Mexican Naval operations are listed below

• March 4 - In Monterrey, Nuevo León. Naval personnel in a joint operation with Federal Police forces raided a home in the center of the city. The raid disrupted illegal activity such as illegal liquor smuggled into the country, 10 workers were arrested and sent to the custody of SIEDO.
  • In the same area of the city, Mario Alberto Garcia Ramirez aka "El Galleto" assumed leader of a group of hitmen that belong to Los Zetas was arrested. Four suspects, two assault rifles, three vehicles were also seized.

• March 4 - In the Colonia of Corrijo del Rey, Nine members of the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel including 4 state police officers who were collaborating with the cartel were arrested. Assault rifles and ammunition were also seized.

File:Troops in Monterrey.JPG

Mexican soldiers block a street intersection after a gunfight with gunmen in Monterrey on March 19.

File:Armoured Yukon.JPG

The end result of a armoured GMC Yukon during a firefight with troops in Monterrey on March 19.

• March 19 - In Monterrey, gunmen inside a three vehicle convoy fired upon a military convoy which gave chase. The chase ended in Monterrey's Technological campus when one of the hostile vehicles which consisted of a armoured GMC Yukon stopped and its occupants fled to the entrance of a building but were shot and killed by army troops. Overall two gunmen were killed and three soldiers were injured by two grenades that were thrown by the other hostile vehicles which escaped presumable aided by the state police. Army troops also seized 3 assault rifles, and several rifle magazines.

• March 25 - 85 kilometers northeast of Monterrey in the municipality of Cerralvo, Nuevo Leon. Naval helicopters intercepted a large convoy made up various trucks and suspects, the convoy were ordered to stop but responded with ground fire. Marines and the suspected convoy clashed leaving 6 gunmen dead and various ammunition and weaponry were also confiscated. Mexican Army troops were ordered to secure the area.

• April 24 - Mexican troops and gunmen clashed in the two municipalitys of Benito Juarez and San Nicolás de los Garza. In both firefights 6 gunmen were killed, one captured and one soldier injured. Army air and ground units were mobilized to secure the area. Later that day, Army and State Investigation Agency (AEI) personnel took control of the Municipal Police Stations in Benito Juarez and Apodaca to investigate police officers in aiding the gunmen. Five police officers were arrested suspected in aiding the gunmen that attacked army troops earlier.

• April 25 - The Mexican Army has reported that on April 24 acting on a anynomous tip, Troops were sent to the municipality of General Bravo, Nuevo León to conduct ground surveillance on a ranch that was manned by armed civilians. Upon arriving military personnel were met with ground fire from a convoy of 20 vehicles, soldiers returned fire, killing three of the gunmen. In seizing the ranch 4 gunmen were captured, 40 assault rifles, 12 trucks and several thousand rounds of ammunition were also seized. Soldiers also discovered 7 alive hostages that were being extorted by a criminal organization to take away there property, the armed group was utilizing the ranch as a based of operations.

• April 28 - In Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo León. Acting on a anonymous tip, Mexican troops onboard three helicopters flew over a farm were upon arriving armed civilians noticing the military presence opened fire on the helicopters. The airborne troops returned fire killing two gunmen and forcing the rest to disperse to the hills. After seizing the farm house, troops discovered 16 hostages that were chained. Also seized were 17 assault rifles, 10 handguns, 3 submachine guns, 2 grenades, 1 rocket launcher, and dozens of packages of marijuana inside a truck that weight 2 tons. Army officials said that the gunmen belong to the criminal organization of Los Zetas.
• May 4 - In Matamoros, Tamaulipas. After receiving information from Mexican Naval Intelligence, Mexican Marines raided a safe house inside the city. A man was arrested during the raid, presume to be the armed guard of the safehouse, 11 hostages were also discovered. From the same Intelligence report, Marines raided another safe house where another 6 hostages were later found.
  • Monterrey, Nuevo León - Due to a successful Naval air and land surveillance operation, 5 Monterrey police officers were arrested by Marines. One of the five officers declare himself a "Halcon" (Hawk).

File:Mexican marines arriving to Tamaulipas.JPG

Mexican Marines arrive in Tamaulipas municipal border towns known as "La Frontera Chica". May 6, 2010

• May 6 - Tamaulipas. According to news reports, 1,000 heavily armed Mexican Marines onboard 100 vehicles have been spotted moving into the five municipal border towns of: Ciudad Mier, Guerrero, Miguel Alemán, Camargo, and Gustavo Díaz Ordaz. These municipalitys have been a battle ground between The Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas ever since there split from each other.

• June 4 - Mexican marines in a Anti-crime organization operation in San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, arrested four cartel suspects. One of the cartel suspects is Raúl Amberto Padilla Gómez who the Mexican government says is a financial operative within Los Zetas in San Pedro Garza García.

• June 9 - Mexican Special Forces troops from the 7th Military Zone acting on military intelligence arrested Hector Raul Luna Luna aka El Tory, who the army says is a Los Zetas leader in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Hector Raul is said to be responsible for attacks on The U.S. consulate in Monterrey and the execution of six Mexican army soldiers. Along with Hector Raul Luna, army troops also arrested David Eduardo Fuentes Martinez aka El Chile. Hector Raul Luna admitted that under the orders of Sigifredo Najera Talamantes aka El Canico who was arrested last year on March participated the attacks on the U.S. consulate and the execution of six soldiers due to the crackdown in anti-drug operations by the army.

External links

• Mexican soldiers vs. Gulf cartel gunmen in Apatzingan, Michoacan
• Gunbattle before the arrest of Osiel Cardenas