Sylvia Longmire's Blog: Mexico's Drug War, page 9

Iraqi organized crime groups in San Diego linked to Sinaloa Federation

Here is an excerpt from a press release issued yesterday by the El Cajon Police Department:

"Our officers had noticed increased narcotics trafficking and violent crime in certain neighborhoods of El Cajon. These crimes have been attributed primarily to Iraqi organized crime elements, and as this investigation has discovered, the Sinaloa Cartel, a Mexico- based drug trafficking organization (DTO) which supplies them... The targets of this investigation are members of an Iraqi DTO which has...

"Feds allegedly allowed Sinaloa cartel to move cocaine into US for information."

Here is an excerpt from Diana Washington Valdez's article in The El Paso Times:

"U.S. federal agents allegedly allowed the Sinaloa drug cartel to traffic several tons of cocaine into the United States in exchange for information about rival cartels, according to court documents filed in a U.S. federal court. The allegations are part of the defense of Vicente Zambada-Niebla, who was extradited to the United States to face drug-trafficking charges in Chicago. He is also a top lieutenant of...

You're all officially invited to the "Cartel" book launch party!

If any of you plan to be in the St Louis area on September 29th, then I hope to see you at the launch party for my first book, Cartel: The Coming Invasion of Mexico's Drug Wars! It's being held at The Jive and Wail Dueling Piano Bar, so I'll be combining a VERY short book intro and traditional book sale/signing with old-fashioned fun! For every book puchased, that person will get an entry into a drawing to win some cool Cartel-themed prizes.

I've also partnered up with the local Gateway...

"Privatization Of Border Fence Raises New Concerns."

Here's an excerpt from my latest article for Homeland Security Today's "Correspondents Watch":

"In a remote stretch of desert between Calexico, California and Yuma, Arizona, there's not much to be seen but sand and a scorching sun. And, of course, the incongruous dark brown border fence that stands out against the bland terrain like a miles-long stitch. The fence that straddles the US-Mexico border has been the source of endless controversy... The controversy over the border fence has been...

Radio Interview on News/Talk WSOY (Decatur) on 8/2

Hello all! Here's the audio from the interview I did yesterday with Byers & Co. on Decatur, Illinois' WSOY News/Talk 1340:

WSOY inteview 080211

"US officials confirm arrest of Juárez cartel leader connected to US Consulate deaths."

Here is an excerpt from Daniel Borunda, Alex Hinojosa and Marty Schladen's article in the El Paso Times:

"Mexican authorities captured the reputed leader of La Linea, a vicious group of thugs that carried out murders and terrorized Juárez for a drug cartel. José Antonio Acosta Hernández, also known as 'El Diego,' one of the highest-ranking bosses of the Juárez drug cartel, was reportedly arrested Friday after a shootout with authorities in a Chihuahua City neighborhood. Acosta was...

"Border Wars" panel presentation at TCA was a big success!

I'm sitting in LAX waiting for my flight back home after a whirlwind four days with National Geographic at the TCA summer press tour in Beverly Hills. I got to meet the most incredible, kind, and genuine people with the Channel, and was privileged to meet the people involved in all of NatGeo's new shows coming up this fall.

The presentation for "Border Wars" was brief (each show only had 20 minutes to answer questions from the press), but it was a huge success. There were six of us on the...

In L.A. promoting "Border Wars" for NatGeo

Just a heads up, I may not be posting for a few days or approving comments. I'm currently in Los Angeles (technically Beverly Hills, I suppose) to help the National Geographic Channel promote the falls season of "Border Wars" for the television press. I'm very honored that they would ask me to help them, and I'm super excited to make it as successful session for them as possible. I'll be spending a lot of time over the next few days with NatGeo executives and the other panelists - including...

"Arizona can now build border fence [through private donations]."

Here is an excerpt from Alia Beard Rau's article in The Arizona Republic:

"Supporters of increased border enforcement now can help Arizona build its own fence along the Mexico border. new law went into effect today that allows the state to build the fence, as long as it can raise enough private donations and persuade public and private landowners to let it be done on their property. A new website for the effort, www.buildtheborderfence.com, was set to go online at midnight... State...

"Mexican TCOs Literally Leaving Their Mark On American Media."

Here's an excerpt from my latest article for Homeland Security Today's "Correspondents Watch":

"Not too long ago, organized crime groups in Mexico—commonly (and inaccurately) known as cartels, were referred to as drug trafficking organizations, or DTOs. In the last couple of years, US government agencies have stopped using this moniker and switched to using transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) to refer to the narcos because their portfolio of illegal activities has significantly...