AZMex

Friday, February 10, 2012

AZMEX POLICY 10-2-12

AZMEX POLICY 10 FEB 2012

Note: For us locals mostly, will get little to no coverage north of
the border. On the good side of things, the Sonora State Police
among the most effective in Mexico, Mexican Army has also been
active in north and west of the state, and finally, looks like el
chapo has gotten business under control. The meeting took place in
Puerto Penasco aka rocky point

New alliance to focus on border issues, Brewer says
by Yvonne Wingett Sanchez - Feb. 10, 2012 09:44 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

Gov. Jan Brewer on Friday announced the creation of a Transportation
and Trade Corridor Alliance, which will study border infrastructure,
border-entry capacity and competitiveness in Arizona and its Mexican
sister state of Sonora.

The governor, who spoke against the backdrop of a heavily militarized
police force along the rocky shores of this beach town, touted recent
improvements to port capacity. But she stressed that Arizona must
continue to repair and improve outdated roads and ports of entry and
minimize wait times at the border to aid trade and tourism.

Arizona's largest trade partner is Mexico, and visitors from the
southern country spend an average of $7.3million every day in Arizona
stores, restaurants, hotels and other businesses, Brewer said. The
alliance will work with state transportation and commerce officials
to examine infrastructure needs, she said.
"This is a perfect occasion for the two states to assess strengths,
weaknesses and opportunities of our corridor and port infrastructure
-- with the ultimate goal of increasing economic competitiveness and
job creation in our region," Brewer said.

Brewer's remarks capped a conference of the Arizona-Mexico
Commission, a 53-year-old organization that aims to tackle shared
issues such as commerce, transportation, border security, health and
the environment. This conference was supposed to occur last year, but
neither governor could attend. And in 2010, Sonoran Gov. Guillermo
Padres Elias canceled meetings in protest of Brewer's signing of
Senate Bill 1070.

The conference came as the U.S. State Department updated its long-
running travel warning on Mexico, cautioning Americans to stay on
main roads and travel during the day. The warning upset local tourist
officials and business owners who said the advisory will sabotage
spring-break bookings that the resort town heavily depends on.

The two governors met privately Friday morning with transportation
and tourism officials. Both vowed to create more jobs and increase
trade and tourism.
"This relationship is very, very important for us," Padres said. "We
represent an economic region which is important for jobs, development
and growth. We have a very strong alliance, and a very strong
relation with Arizona."

Throughout the conference, officials from both states focused on long-
term issues, including:

The health of agricultural workers in Arizona and Mexico, and needs
of Mexican deportees who need medical assistance.

Ad campaigns to promote tourism on both sides of the border.

Roads and ports along the border to increase transportation capacity
for trucks, farmworkers and tourists.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/articles/
2012/02/10/20120210arizona-alliance-focus-border-issues-brewer-
says.html#ixzz1m33Pk08I

Published: 10/02/2012 15:38 By: Editorial ElImparcial
Brewer is 'ambassador' for the Safety of Sonora
http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Noticias/
10022012/572236.aspx

Under heavy security, the governor of Sonora, Guillermo Padres and
his counterpart in Arizona, Jan Brewer, noted the proposed
establishment of a public beach and a wastewater treatment plant,
which was introduced by the government secretary, Robert Romero,
Puerto Penasco. Photo: Fausto Ibarra.

Hermosillo, Sonora (PH)
"I want to be his ambassador about the safety of Sonora," said
Arizona Governor Janice K. Brewer, while participating in the
National Tourism Promotion Meeting in connection with the Sonora-
Arizona Commission stating that the state is safe and no risk to U.S.
tourists who visit it.

The Governor made mention of the statement made a year earlier by
Tucson Mayor Robert Walkup, where he offered to become the U.S.
ambassador to the security provided by Sonora.
"We have many friends in Arizona and traveling to Sonora region, we
have great bonds, many friends between Sonora and Arizona and want to
share with everyone that I want to be your ambassador," he said.

Brewer denied that there is a risk to travel to Sonora, however, said
she has never been afraid to come to the state, she has, recommended
to the citizens of Arizona to do so.

She said the Governor Guillermo Padres has done a great job by
providing security and make tourists feel comfortable.

Published: 02/09/2012 17:35 By: Miguel Angel Urquijo
murquijo@elimparcial.com
Arizona Sonora to help its economy
http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Noticias/
09022012/572043.aspx
Puerto Penasco, Sonora (PH)

After growing 7% and 40 000 jobs created so far in six years, Sonora
helps Arizona with its economy, agreed the U.S. consuls in
Hermosillo and Nogales.

Chad Cummins consul in Nogales and in Hermosillo, John Tavenner,
agreed that the economy will grow in Sonora this year and were
confident with numbers showing the state's growth.

Cummins said that Sonora has much work in the aerospace industry and
many areas with good opportunities, so if the economy grows in Sonora
then to Arizona and back.

He argued that all forecasts say the economy will grow Sonora, hence
the importance of strengthening partnerships between the two states
as the agreements made at these meetings will become apparent
benefits for citizens on both sides of the border.

John Tavenner said the Comisión Sonora-Arizona has a lot of work in
many important areas such as tourism, security, education, health,
real estate, businesses, among others.

"It's an opportunity to meet many people involved in the commission
and see how they can strengthen bridges to encourage the development
of both states," he said.

Published: 10/02/2012 13:34 By: Miguel Angel Urquijo
murquijo@elimparcial.com
Commission agree to promote organic farming

A plan to promote culture and environmental ethics and sustainable
development practices, which identifies the schools that will give
technical support and educational materials, was one of several
agreements that were taken at the table of Ecology and Environment
Sonora-Arizona Commission.
Puerto Penasco, Sonora (PH)
http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Noticias/
10022012/572214.aspx

The head of the Committee on Ecology and Sustainable Development of
Sonora, Oscar Tellez Leyva said that along that program will be
developed workshops on environmental management plans and use of
clean energy to create awareness and to involve more sectors this
approach the environment in the border area.

Tellez said Leyva for the work done is highlighted the synergy
between both environmental authorities on issues such as land-use
planning, climate change, air quality, solid waste management and
wastewater.

He said that during the plenary session also discussed the importance
for both states in terms of Ecological Zoning Programme, through
which it seeks to regulate, standardize and regulate land use and
production activities carried out in Sonora, with the To protect the
environment and promote economic and social development.

The meeting of the Committee on Ecology and Environment gave very
satisfactory results for protection and care of the environment on
both sides of the border.

Publicada: 10/02/2012 15:38 Por: Redacción ElImparcial
Se declara Brewer 'embajadora' de la Seguridad de Sonora
http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Noticias/
10022012/572236.aspx

Bajo un fuerte dispositivo de seguridad, el gobernador de Sonora,
Guillermo Padrés y su homóloga de Arizona, Jan Brewer, observaron el
proyecto de creación de una playa pública y una planta tratadora de
aguas residuales, que fue presentado por el secretario de gobierno,
Roberto Romero, en Puerto Peñasco. Foto: Fausto Ibarra.

HERMOSILLO, Sonora(PH)
"Yo quiero ser su embajadora sobre la seguridad de Sonora", enfatizó
la Gobernadora de Arizona, Janice K. Brewer, durante su participación
en la Reunión de Promoción Turística Nacional en el marco de la
Comisión Sonora-Arizona al afirmar que la entidad es segura y no
representa riesgo para los turistas de Estados Unidos que lo visitan.

La Gobernadora hizo mención de la declaración realizada un año antes
por el Alcalde de Tucson, Robert Walkup, en donde ofreció convertirse
en el embajador ante Estados Unidos de la seguridad que brinda Sonora.

"Tenemos muchos amigos de Arizona y la región que viajan a Sonora,
tenemos grandes lazos, muchos amigos entre Sonora y Arizona y quiero
compartir con todos que yo quiero ser su embajadora", comentó.

Brewer rechazó que exista un riesgo al viajar a Sonora, por el
contrario, dijo que nunca ha sentido miedo de venir al estado, por el
contrario, recomienda a los ciudadanos de Arizona que lo hagan.

Agregó que el Gobernador Guillermo Padrés ha hecho un gran trabajo
por brindar seguridad y hacer que los turistas se sientan cómodos.

Publicada: 09/02/2012 17:35 Por: Miguel Angel Urquijo
murquijo@elimparcial.com
Ayudará Sonora a Arizona en su economía
http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Noticias/
09022012/572043.aspx
PUERTO PEÑASCO, Sonora(PH)

Tras crecer 7% y con 40 mil empleos generados en lo que va del
sexenio, Sonora ayudará a Arizona en su economía, coincidieron los
cónsules de Estados Unidos en Hermosillo y Nogales.

Chad Cummins cónsul en Nogales y John Tavenner en Hermosillo
coincidieron en que la economía de Sonora crecerá más en este año y
se mostraron confiados por los números que muestra el Estado.

Cummins manifestó que Sonora cuenta con mucho trabajo en la industria
aeroespacial y muchas áreas con buenas oportunidades, por lo que si
la economía crece en Sonora ayuda a Arizona y viceversa.

Sostuvo que todos los pronósticos dicen que la economía de Sonora va
a crecer más, de ahí la importancia de reforzar los lazos de
colaboración entre ambas entidades ya que de los acuerdos que se
tomen en estas reuniones se desprenderán beneficios para ciudadanos a
ambos lados de la frontera.

John Tavenner agregó que la Comisión Sonora-Arizona cuenta con mucho
trabajo en muchas áreas importantes como el turismo, seguridad,
educación, salud, bienes raíces, negocios, entre otros.

"Es la oportunidad de conocer a muchas personas involucradas en la
comisión y ver cómo se pueden reforzar los puentes para fomentar el
desarrollo de ambos Estados", puntualizó.

Publicada: 10/02/2012 13:34 Por: Miguel Angel Urquijo
murquijo@elimparcial.com
Acuerdan en Comisión fomentar cultura ecológica

Un plan para fomentar la cultura y ética ambiental y prácticas de
desarrollo sustentable, que servirá para identificar las escuelas a
las que se les dará apoyo técnico y materiales educativos, fue uno de
varios acuerdos que se tuvieron en la mesa de Ecología y Medio
Ambiente en la Comisión Sonora-Arizona.
PUERTO PEÑASCO, Sonora(PH)
http://www.elimparcial.com/EdicionEnLinea/Notas/Noticias/
10022012/572214.aspx

El titular de la Comisión de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable de
Sonora, Óscar Téllez Leyva, indicó que a la par de dicho programa se
desarrollarán talleres de planes de ordenamiento ecológico y el uso
de energía limpias para crear una mayor conciencia e involucrar a más
sectores en este enfoque de medio ambiente en la zona fronteriza.

Téllez Leyva dijo que durante los trabajos desarrollados se resalta
la buena coordinación que existe entre ambas autoridades ambientales
en temas como ordenamiento ecológico territorial, cambio climático,
calidad del aire, gestión de residuos sólidos y aguas residuales.

Manifestó que durante la sesión plenaria también se trató la
importancia para ambas entidades en cuanto al Programa de
Ordenamiento Ecológico Territorial, a través del cual se busca
ordenar, armonizar y regular el uso del suelo y las actividades
productivas que se realizan en Sonora, con el fin de proteger el
medio ambiente y propiciar el desarrollo económico y social.

La reunión del Comité de Ecología y Medio Ambiente brindó resultados
muy satisfactorios para protección y cuidado del medio ambiente en
ambos lados de la frontera.

AZMEX F&F EXTRA 2 10-2-12

AZMEX F&F EXTRA 2 10 FEB 2012

Executive Branch - POLITICS
Former DEA chief says 3 other federal agencies knew about Operation
Fast and Furious
By William La Jeunesse
Published February 10, 2012
| FoxNews.com
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/10/former-dea-chief-says-3-
other-federal-agencies-knew-about-furious/

While criticism surrounding Operation Fast and Furious has so far
focused on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, three other
federal agencies knew about the operation and some of their agents
tried to stop it, according to the former chief of the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Administration in Tucson.
Tony Coulson, the DEA's agent in charge of Southern Arizona during
Fast and Furious, says many federal field agents knew the ATF was
walking guns to Mexico, but supervisors told them to back off when
they objected.

"Clearly, we went too far," Coulson said. "The question we had among
rank and file law enforcement was, 'When is someone going to call ATF
on this, when is someone going to tell them to stop?'"
Coulson's remarks jibe with what is already known about the
operation. The DEA, the FBI and ICE, also known as Immigration
Customs and Enforcement, all played roles in the investigation.
Coulson said those agencies share the blame since top officials knew,
but did little to stop, the gunrunning effort. Coulson is among the
first senior public officials, current or former, who admit knowing
about the botched operation.
Coulson claims he raised objections to then-DEA chief Elizabeth
Kempshall, but was told it was taken care of. After attending a
meeting with ATF agent in charge Bill Newell, Coulson said that's
when he and other agents "knew (Fast and Furious) was not some sort
of benign, pie-in-the-sky publicity stunt. Guns were actually getting
in the hands of criminals."
According to Congressional testimony and documents obtained by Fox
News, the other agencies involved include:
• ICE
Immigration and Customs Enforcement assigned agent Layne France to
work alongside ATF in the operation. Sources say France replaced ICE
senior agent Ed Hamel, who objected to the ATF 'gunwalking' strategy.
As a member of the Fast and Furious task force, France received
copies of all ATF investigative reports, and sources say France knew
the operation in detail. Congressional investigators want to know who
at ICE and the Department of Homeland Security saw France's reports,
and how much he reported up the chain of command about the operation.
"I don't think ICE can get away from the fact they were there side by
side with ATF. They were not willing participants. This was something
they were told to do, but they were still there," Coulson said.
Sources say ICE agents who interdicted and seized weapons on the
Mexican border got in a battle with ATF over tactics. Coulson says
ICE agents stationed at Arizona ports of entry were told by
supervisors to let the issue go, because 'people above their pay
grade' had already signed off on the operation.
That version of events is supported by a document obtained Thursday
by Fox News. Twice in 2009, ICE was forced to halt gun investigations
because their inquiries conflicted with Operation Fast and Furious.
ATF and the Arizona U.S. Attorney's Office told ICE "not to
interfere" because Fast and Furious took priority.
Sources say ICE Director John Morton ordered an internal review of
ICE involvement in Fast and Furious after the death of Border Patrol
Agent Brian Terry.
An ICE official said the agency could not comment on the latest
claims due to an ongoing investigation. ICE officials admit they knew
about Fast and Furious, but claim the agency did not know about the
controversial "tactics" involved until they were reported in the media.
• DEA
The Drug Enforcement Administration actually helped initiate Fast and
Furious when one of its own targets, suspected drug dealer Manuel
Celis Acosta, began to acquire guns for the Sinaloa Cartel. The DEA
invited ATF to take over the weapons phase of that investigation.
The two agencies shared the same floor and same 'wire room' in
Phoenix, where agents listened to suspects' conversations on court-
approved wiretaps. The DEA also had initiated an investigation into
the "money men" behind Fast and Furious – two cartel associates in
the El Paso-Juarez area -- but deliberately did not tell the ATF.
However the names of the two high-level cartel contacts were written
"frequently" on call logs inside the wire room, according to a
congressional memo, but ATF agents failed to notice. This information
was available in January 2010, one year before Fast and Furious was
finally taken down.
• FBI
The FBI had also opened an investigation of the two high-level cartel
associates targeted by the ATF. The FBI designated both men national
security assets but didn't alert the ATF. In exchange for one
individual's guilty plea to a minor count of "Alien in Possession of
a Firearm" both men became FBI informants and are now considered 'un-
indictable,' according to a congressional review of the situation.
When the ATF learned the FBI knew, but shielded their informants,
Agent Jim Needles called it "frustrating." Attorney General Eric
Holder said he would "look into" the lack of information sharing.
However, sources who have attended classified briefings say the two
are both are still inside the cartel and their identities cannot be
compromised, suggesting the FBI will likely escape congressional
scrutiny, despite their awareness of the tactics used in Fast and
Furious.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/02/10/former-dea-
chief-says-3-other-federal-agencies-knew-about-furious/#ixzz1lzmKnbQj

AZMEX F&F EXTRA 10-2-12

AZMEX F&F EXTRA 10 FEB 2012

Fast and Furious: Gun-sting targets were FBI informers
ATF's cartel suspects worked for other agency
y Dennis Wagner - Feb. 9, 2012 11:07 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

Mexican cartel suspects targeted in the troubled gun-trafficking
probe known as Operation Fast and Furious were actually working as
FBI informants at the time, according to a congressional memo that
describes the case's mission as a "failure."

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has
acknowledged that guns were allowed into the hands of Mexican
criminals for more than a year in the hope of catching "big fish."

The memorandum from staffers with the House Committee on Oversight
and Government Reform says the FBI and Drug Enforcement
Administration were investigating a drug-trafficking organization and
had identified cartel associates a year before the ATF even learned
who they were. At some point before the ATF's Fast and Furious
investigation progressed -- congressional investigators don't know
when -- the cartel members became FBI informants.

"These were the 'big fish,' " says the memo, written on behalf of
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa. "DEA
and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had jointly opened a
separate investigation targeting these two cartel associates. ...
Yet, ATF spent the next year engaging in the reckless tactics of Fast
and Furious in attempting to identify them."

According to Issa and Grassley, the cartel suspects, whose names were
not released, were regarded by FBI as "national-security assets." One
pleaded guilty to a minor offense. The other was not charged. "Both
became FBI informants and are now considered unindictable," the memo
says. "This means that the entire goal of Fast and Furious -- to
target these two individuals and bring them to justice -- was a
failure."

Representatives with the Justice Department and its subagencies
declined to comment.

In a statement e-mailed to The Republic, Rep. Elijah Cummings of
Maryland, ranking Democrat on the Oversight committee, disputed GOP
conclusions and stressed that Issa "has repeatedly made
unsubstantiated allegations against law- enforcement agencies" while
investigating Fast and Furious. Cummings agreed that the ATF was
hampered by communication breakdowns, but he rejected implications
that other agencies had similar failures.

Fast and Furious was launched by the ATF in November 2009. At the
same time, the memo says, FBI and DEA agents who were conducting a
narcotics investigation identified a suspected ringleader of the gun-
trafficking organization, Manuel Celis-Acosta. According to federal
records, DEA supervisors shared their discovery with ATF agents, but
the suspect was not arrested until a year later, when guns from Fast
and Furious were linked to the murder of U.S. Border Patrol Agent
Brian Terry.

At that point, the memo says, Celis-Acosta gave names of his Sinaloa
cartel associates to ATF agents, who learned that they already were
working for the FBI. The associates are not identified in the
congressional memo.

The overlap reflects the spiderweb nature of trafficking
organizations in Arizona and the labyrinth of law-enforcement
agencies pursuing them.

Celis-Acosta was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2011
with 19 other suspects on charges related to firearms and marijuana
trafficking, conspiracy and money laundering. He is awaiting trial in
U.S. District Court.

According to federal prosecutors, Celis-Acosta's gun-trafficking
business became involved with a man named Luis Hernandez-Flores,
allegedly part of a separate marijuana-smuggling organization in the
Valley. The DEA, working in a task force with Glendale and Phoenix
police, set up wiretap surveillance to gather evidence against
Hernandez- Flores and others.

In federal filings, prosecutors say Celis-Acosta identified
Hernandez- Flores as an illegal-firearms broker for the Mexican
cartel figures.

In March 2010, Hernandez-Flores and more than 40 other suspects were
indicted by a state grand jury. Charges were thrown out in June 2011,
according to Maricopa County Superior Court records, because a
Glendale detective supplied false information for a wiretap affidavit.

A judge ruled that the detective, Laura Beeler, was "not a reliable
witness." Beeler was investigated for alleged perjury but not
charged. Prosecutors and Beeler's attorney said the problem arose
from her attempts to shield a confidential informant.

The Republican memo does not address previous ATF assertions that the
Phoenix-based investigation was aimed at drug lords south of the border.

For example, on Feb. 3, Mexican federal police reportedly seized
several weapons from Fast and Furious during the arrest of Jose
Antonio Torres Marrufo, under U.S. indictment and suspected of being
a top enforcer for Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquin "Chapo" Guzaman. The
Los Angeles Times reported last year that 40 other high-powered
weapons from the case were found at Marrufo's unoccupied home in Juarez.

The Republican staff analysis purportedly is based on investigative
records and interviews with personnel at federal law-enforcement
agencies. Investigative documents and transcripts were not made
available.

Issa is chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform
Committee, which is leading a congressional probe of Fast and
Furious. Grassley is ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In their memo to GOP colleagues, they conclude that Fast and Furious
was not only flawed strategically, but undermined by law-enforcement
negligence, communication breakdowns and "serious management failures."

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/politics/articles/
2012/02/07/20120207fast-and-furious-gun-sting-targets-fbi-
informers.html#ixzz1lzh2PIRR

Thursday, February 9, 2012

AZMEX UPDATE 2 9-2-12

AZMEX UPDATE 2 9 FEB 2012

Note: some of the numbers and conclusions debatable. 80% ??? As
in the article, many of the tons of precursors confiscated, were
addressed to a port in Guatemala. Also interesting is the
involvement of China in much of this as most of the chemicals seem to
come from there. Don't believe that China has lost control of it's
exports. Agenda at work?

Mexican army finds 15 tons of pure methamphetamine
Published February 09, 2012
| Associated Press

GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- Mexican troops have made a historic seizure of
15 tons of pure methamphetamine in the western state of Jalisco, an
amount equivalent to half of all meth seizures worldwide in 2009.
The sheer scale of the bust announced late Wednesday in the western
state of Jalisco drew expressions of amazement from meth experts. The
haul could have supplied 13 million doses worth over $4 billion on
U.S. streets.

"This could potentially put a huge dent in the supply chain in the
U.S," said U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Rusty
Payne. "When we're taking this much out of the supply chain, it's a
huge deal."
Reporters were shown barrels of white and yellow powder that were
found in a laboratory on a small ranch outside of Guadalajara,
Mexico's second-largest city.
The Mexican army said troops received several anonymous tips and
found the massive drug stash in the township of Tlajomulco de Zuniga,
near the Jalisco state capital of Guadalajara. The army statement
called the seizure "historic," implying it was the largest on record
for the armed forces.
There were no people found on the ranch or arrests made, although it
appeared 12 to 15 people worked there.
"Seizures of this size ... could mean one of two things," said
Antonio Mazzitelli, the regional representative of the U.N. Office of
Drugs and Crime. "On one hand, it may be a product that hasn't been
able to be sold, and like any business, when the market is depressed,
stockpiles build up."
Or, he noted, "such large-scale production could suggest an
expansion, an attempt by some Mexican groups, the most business-
oriented I would say, to move into Latin American and Asian markets.
The previous biggest bust announced by the army came in June 2010,
when soldiers found 3.1 metric tons (3.4 tons) of pure meth in three
interconnected warehouses in the central state of Queretaro, along
with hundreds of tons of precursor chemicals used to make meth. A
giant underground lab was also found in Sinaloa state.
Those other seizures were believed to be linked to the powerful
Sinaloa cartel's massive move into meth production. A senior U.S. law
enforcement official in Mexico said Thursday this week's bust in
Jalisco was "probably Sinaloa."
The official, who could not be named for security reasons, said
Sinaloa may be moving into meth "to reduce its reliance on Colombian
cocaine by flooding the market with meth."
The size of the Jalisco bust stunned Steve Preisler, an industrial
chemist who wrote the book "Secrets of Methamphetamine Manufacture"
and is sometimes called the father of modern meth-making.
"I have never seen quantity in that range," Preisler wrote. He also
noted: "The amounts of precursors they were importing would produce
multi-tons of product."
There has also been a dramatic increase in seizures of meth-making
chemicals imported to Mexico from countries such as China. Such
seizures indicate that Mexico may become a world production platform
for methamphetamines, and that Mexican cartels may be dominating the
trade.
In December alone, Mexican authorities seized 675 tons of a key
precursor chemical, methylamine, that can yield its weight in uncut
meth. All of the shipments were headed for Guatemala, where the
Sinaloa cartel is also active. Officials in Guatemala, meanwhile,
seized 7,847 barrels of precursors in 2011, equivalent to about 1,600
tons.
Few people use pure meth, and street cuts can be three or even five
parts filler. A pound of meth can sell for about $15,000.
After a dip in 2007, the supply of methamphetamine in the United
States has been growing, mainly due to its manufacture in Mexico,
according to U.S. drug intelligence sources.
Between 2007 and 2009, seizures of methamphetamine by U.S.
authorities along the Mexican border increased by 87 percent,
according to the 2011 U.N. World Drug Report, the most recent
statistics the U.N. has available.
Eighty percent of the meth coming into the U.S. is seized at the
Mexican border, according to the National Drug Intelligence Center.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/02/09/mexican-army-
finds-15-tons-pure-methamphetamine/#ixzz1lujYZRHe

AZMEX UPDATE 9-2-12

AZMEX UPDATE 9 FEB 2012

Defense Dept. sending support to Border Patrol
Thu, 02/09/2012 - 15:56
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
http://www.svherald.com/associatedpress/248182

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — The Department of Defense says it will deploy
military resources in support of the Border Patrol's border security
efforts along border areas in Arizona and New Mexico.
The Pentagon said Thursday that communities in southern Arizona and
southern New Mexico should expect to see additional military
personnel, vehicles and equipment traveling throughout the border
area beginning in mid-February.
In their role, the members of the military assigned to Joint Task
Force North work in a support capacity for Border Patrol officers.

Note: Shocked, shocked. All one has to do is look around a little.

Use "El Chapo" front companies to launder profits in the United States
Notimex | February 8, 2012 | 18:19 pm
http://eldiariodechihuahua.mx/notas.php?
f=2012/02/08&id=a78c416ba628b3d23cc2d8d602bf9ed6

Washington. - The Sinaloa cartel of Joaquin Guzman Loera, alias "El
Chapo" uses front companies in the United States to launder their
illegal profits, today reported to Congress the Department of Justice.
The head of the Section on Money Laundering and Confiscation of the
Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, Jennifer Shasky said
that this is one of the methods used by transnational criminal
organizations to penetrate the U.S. financial system.
"U.S. law enforcement agencies believe that the Sinaloa cartel, one
of the largest drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, using front
companies in the United States to launder drug proceeds," he told the
Judiciary Committee of the House.
The Treasury Department last month placed in the list of drug
kingpins two Mexicans and a Colombian associated with Guzman Loera,
which he described as "the world's most powerful drug."
Alleged Mexican drug traffickers are Oscar Alvarez and Joel Valdez
Benitez Zepeda of Culiacan, Sinaloa, and Mario Torres Colombian
Carlos Hoyos of Medellin, according to the Office of Foreign Assets
Control (OFAC) of Treasury. Oscar is the brother of another alleged
ringleader of the organization, named Alfredo.
It was the fourth time in the last year that OFAC has focused and
exposed support structures of the organization led by "El Chapo" Guzman.
Last September, OFAC sanctioned Mexican Alfredo Vazquez Hernandez,
identified as coordinator of the movement of cash to "El Chapo".
Vazquez Hernandez was indicted by the U.S. government in court for
the Northern District of Illinois in August 2009 on charges of
conspiring to traffic drugs as part of the proceedings against
"Shorty" and against Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada Garcia.
Since 2001 "El Chapo" was listed by President George W. Bush and in
2009 incorporated the Sinaloa cartel as a whole.

200 weapons seized in the United States that were bound for Mexico,
there are 22 detainees
THE EDITOR
FEBRUARY 8, 2012 · 1
Weapons forfeiture in the United States.
Photo: AP
http://www.proceso.com.mx/?p=297746

MEXICO, DF (Approved). - The U.S. government seized more than 200
high-powered weapons, including automatic rifles AK-47 ("goat
horns"), during an operation in which they were detained over 20
people for alleged involvement in an arms smuggling network serving
the Mexican drug cartels.

At a press conference, federal agents based in San Antonio, Texas
made it known that among those arrested include housewives and students.

Participated in the conference Attorney Robert Pitman, the special
agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Snuff, Firearms and
Explosives, Houston Division, Gary Orchowski, and Special Agent in
Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement U.S. National Security
Research Institute in San Antonio Jerry Robinette, who rated the
result of the operation as "a blow" to Mexican cartels.

Federal agents explained that "many" of those arrested for buying
weapons to Mexican cartels, were used as fake buyers: people without
criminal records who buy weapons legitimately, which is delivered
immediately to the smugglers.

They explained that these "straw buyers" were paid $ 11 for each gun
purchased. The weapons have secured a purchase price of between 800
and 400 dollars. They explained that the 22 arrested have pleaded
guilty, although only three have been convicted.

Moreover, prosecutors said two men of 23 and 22 years were sentenced
to 87 to 42 months in prison for their participation in the network
traffic of weapons to Mexican cartels.

The condemned are Keith Edwards, 23, and Ricky Gonzalez-Edwards, 22,
while one of the ringleaders, Levar Edward Davis, 34, was sentenced
to 14 years in prison. The sentence was handed down yesterday in Del
Rio.

The defendants worked for Davis and his partner Levar Marino Antonio
Castro, 27.

They are accused of conspiring illegally acquire two firearms in the
area of San Antonio, Texas, for distribution somewhere in Eagle
Pass, from where they were sent to Mexico.

Hermano de presidente de Cosalá fue detenido con arma
La PGJE informó que el hermano del presidente municipal Mario Padilla
fue arrestado por ese delito y turnado a la PGR.
IONSA
08-02-2012 | 02:54 PM
http://www.noroeste.com.mx/publicaciones.php?id=754816

El subdirector de Obras Públicas y hermano del Alcalde de Cosalá,
Manuel Padilla Barraza, supuestamente fue detenido por la
Procuraduría General de Justicia del Estado, por la portación ilegal
de una pistola calibre 9mm.

La PGJE informó que el hermano del presidente municipal Mario Padilla
fue arrestado por ese delito y turnado a la PGR.

Mientras que un escolta de la esposa del Munícipe, un ex agente de la
Policía Municipal y un maestro, quienes fueron privados de la
libertad ese mismo día, aún permanecen desaparecidos.

Información de las corporaciones policiales indica que el funcionario
"levantado" se llama Manuel Padilla Barraza, hermano del Presidente
Municipal, Mario Padilla Barraza.

De acuerdo con los datos proporcionados, Manuel Padilla fue
"levantado" alrededor de las 3:00 horas del maartes por varios
individuos armados que irrumpieron en su casa.

El funcionario ue sacado por la fuerza y subido a un vehículo por
supuestos agentes ministeriales.

En la cabecera municipal, alrededor de las 6:00 horas,
presumiblemente el mismo grupo armado ingresó a la casa del ex agente
de la Policía Municipal, José Alberto Duarte Martínez.

El ex agente fue sacado de manera violenta y subido en uno de los
vehículos en que circulaban los plagiarios.

Momentos después en la misma localidad los tipos armados llegaron a
la casa del agente de la Dirección de Seguridad Pública Municipal,
Cristo Rey Rodríguez Velázquez y se lo llevaron.

Durante la noche del lunes en el Centro de la cabecera municipal
privaron de la libertad a Gabino Aguilar, maestro de la secundaria
del poblado.

Usa "El Chapo" empresas fachada en EU para lavar ganancias
Notimex | 08 de Febrero del 2012 | 18:19 hrs
http://eldiariodechihuahua.mx/notas.php?
f=2012/02/08&id=a78c416ba628b3d23cc2d8d602bf9ed6

Washington.- El cártel de Sinaloa de Joaquín Guzmán Loera, alias
"El Chapo", utiliza empresas fachada en Estados Unidos para lavar
sus ganancias ilegales, reportó hoy al Congreso el Departamento de
Justicia.
La jefa de la Sección de Decomisos y Lavado de Dinero de la División
Criminal del Departamento de Justicia, Jennifer Shasky, señaló que
se trata de uno de los métodos usados por organizaciones criminales
transnacionales para penetrar el sistema financiero estadunidense.
"Agencias policiales de Estados Unidos creen que el cártel de
Sinaloa, una de las mayores organizaciones de tráfico de drogas de
México, usa empresas fachada en Estados Unidos para lavar los
ingresos de drogas", dijo ante el Comité Judicial de la Cámara Baja.
El Departamento del Tesoro colocó el mes pasado en la lista de
cabecillas del narcotráfico a dos mexicanos y a un colombiano
vinculados con Guzmán Loera, al que calificó como "el narco más
poderoso del mundo".
Los presuntos narcos mexicanos son Óscar Álvarez Zepeda y Joel
Valdez Benítez de Culiacán, Sinaloa, así como el colombiano Carlos
Mario Torres Hoyos, de Medellín, de acuerdo con la Oficina de Control
de Bienes Extranjeros (OFAC) del Tesoro. Óscar es hermano de otro
presunto cabecilla de la organización, de nombre Alfredo.
Se trató de la cuarta ocasión en el último año que OFAC ha
focalizado y expuesto el apoyo a las estructuras de la organización
liderada por "El Chapo" Guzmán.
En septiembre pasado, OFAC sancionó al mexicano Alfredo Vázquez
Hernández, identificado como coordinador del trasiego de dinero en
efectivo "El Chapo".
Vázquez Hernández fue encausado por el gobierno estadunidense en una
corte del Distrito Norte de Illinois en agosto de 2009, por
acusaciones de conspirar para traficar drogas, como parte del proceso
contra "El Chapo" y contra Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada García.
Desde 2001 "El Chapo" fue incluido en la lista por el entonces
presidente George W. Bush y en 2009 fue incorporado el cártel de
Sinaloa en su conjunto.

Usa "El Chapo" empresas fachada en EU para lavar ganancias
Notimex | 08 de Febrero del 2012 | 18:19 hrs
http://eldiariodechihuahua.mx/notas.php?
f=2012/02/08&id=a78c416ba628b3d23cc2d8d602bf9ed6

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

AZMEX F&F EXTRA 8-2-12

AZMEX F&F EXTRA 8 FEB 2012

Note: for the "gun folks" A little more light on the "under the
radar", and probable motivation for F&F.
Just keep in mind, unlike many other government scandals, this one
has left hundreds of people dead.
American and Mexican.

Holder tells Congress the Obama administration wants to ban guns
By Chris Cox
Published: 9:29 AM 02/08/2012 | Updated: 4:47 PM 02/08/2012

http://dailycaller.com/2012/02/08/holder-tells-congress-the-obama-
administration-wants-to-ban-guns/

Last Thursday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder appeared before the
House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to answer questions
about his role in the deadly "Fast and Furious" gun-running scandal.
However, instead of answers, Congress got more defiance, more
arrogance, and more wasted time with an attorney general who clearly
feels no sense of obligation to the American people or our rule of law.

But for all the stonewalling, there was at least one telling moment
at this hearing, and it should concern law-abiding gun owners and all
Americans who expect accountability from our government.

In a rash attempt to deflect attention away from himself and his own
irresponsibility, Holder let Congress know that the Obama
administration is still working toward the day when it can reinstate
former President Bill Clinton's so-called "assault weapons" ban.

According to Holder:

This administration has consistently favored the reinstitution
of the assault weapons ban. It is something that we think was useful
in the past with regard to the reduction that we've seen in crime,
and certainly would have a positive impact on our relationship and
the crime situation in Mexico.

It's difficult to follow Holder's logic here, but it goes something
like this …

The Obama administration — particularly Eric Holder's Justice
Department — oversaw an epic scandal whereby our own federal
government illegally funneled thousands of firearms into the hands of
Mexican drug lords. This contributed to the death of one U.S. Border
Patrol agent and hundreds of Mexicans.

Despite being head of the Justice Department and our nation's chief
law enforcement officer, Eric Holder claims he doesn't know how or
why this scandal occurred, or even who under his charge may have
authorized it. He also refuses to turn over critical documents to
congressional investigators that could help prevent something this
tragic and corrupt from ever happening again.

Therefore, Obama and Holder are confident that if they can ban a
large number of the legal firearms that law-abiding Americans use
every day for self-defense, hunting, and recreational and competitive
target shooting, it will help solve Mexico's crime problem.

What's particularly galling about Holder's shallow and illogical
attempt to use "Fast and Furious" to further the Obama
administration's gun-ban agenda is that during the same hearing, he
lectured Congress for playing political "gotcha" games in an election
year.

Amazingly, Holder seems incapable of understanding that this isn't a
Republican or Democratic issue, it's an American issue, and all
Americans deserve to know how and why their government purposefully
allowed thousands of guns to flow into the hands of murderous Mexican
drug cartels. The family of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry deserves
to know why two of these guns were found at the scene of Terry's murder.

Eric Holder's Justice Department oversaw this illegal operation, but
all Holder is willing to do is call for gun bans on law-abiding
Americans, withhold critical information from Congress, and pat
himself on the back for a job well done. As Holder told Congress on
Thursday: "I'm proud of the work that I've done as attorney general
of the United States, and looked at fairly, I think I've done a
pretty good job."

Eric Holder has long since proved himself inept and incapable of
holding the trust that Americans place in our nation's chief law
enforcement officer. The longer Holder refuses to step down as
attorney general, the more lasting his damage to this sacred
institution will be.

Chris W. Cox is the executive director of the National Rifle
Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) and serves as
the organization's chief lobbyist.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/02/08/holder-tells-congress-
the-obama-administration-wants-to-ban-guns/#ixzz1lq3gIxC9

AZMEX SPECIAL 4-2-12

AZMEX SPECIAL 4 FEB 2012

AP Analysis: Border Patrol OT up as arrests drop
Associated Press | Posted: Saturday, February 4, 2012 9:40 am | Comments

Border Patrol agents have racked up daily overtime at a cost of about
$1.4 billion in the past six years while the number of arrests of
illegal border crossers has fallen to the lowest level in nearly 40
years, an Associated Press analysis of agency records finds.

Since the 2006 budget year, the agency charged with stopping would-be
illegal border crossers and smugglers from making it into the U.S.
over land and sea borders has spent more than $1.4 billion on what is
described as "administrative uncontrollable overtime," according to
the data provided by the Border Patrol. In practical terms, agents
average two hours a day in overtime.

That means agents can earn anywhere from 10 percent to 25 percent
extra pay an hour for the first two hours of overtime, with the extra
cash being steadily reduced every hour after that because of
complicated overtime rules. Over the course of a year, an agent can
earn about $15,000 more than the base salary, which for a more
experienced agent is typically over $60,000 a year. Agents are
limited to $35,000 in overtime annually.

The cost of overtime rose from about $155.8 million in 2006 to more
than $331 million in 2011. That increase coincides with the addition
of about 9,000 agents in the past six years and the drop of
apprehensions to a nearly 40-year low, from more than 1 million
arrests in 2006 to about 340,000 in 2011.

Border Patrol Deputy Chief Ronald D. Vitiello said patrolling the
border can be an unpredictable job that requires longer hours from
agents.

"The uncontrollable nature of the work is inherent in the primary
duty of a Border Patrol agent and must be performed in order to get
the job done," Vitiello said, adding that anything from making an
arrest to talking to witnesses can keep an agent on duty beyond a
scheduled shift. Often it stems from charging the Border Patrol for
the time spent driving from a remote location to an agent's home base
or staying late to finish the paperwork from an arrest or seizure of
illicit cargo.

Still, with the government facing record deficits and the Department
of Homeland Security likely to see more cuts, a system that builds in
overtime the same way on the busy U.S.-Mexico border as it does on
the relatively sleepy U.S.-Canadian border raises questions.

Most illegal border crossers are apprehended along the 2,000-mile
long Mexican border in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. In
the budget year that ended in September, 18,506 agents made a
combined 327,577 apprehensions _ an average of nearly 18
apprehensions per agent. The agency spent about $283 million on
overtime.

But along the northern border there have been far fewer arrests, a
statistic long used to judge the amount of illegal activity along the
borders. Patrolling about 4,000 miles of border with Canada, 2,237
agents made 6,123 apprehensions_ an average of about three arrests
per agent _ in 2011. For example, the 201 agents in the Houlton
Sector in Maine arrested just 41 illegal border-crosses. Agents on
the northern border earned a combined $37 million in overtime pay.

The more than 200 agents assigned to the Border Patrol's headquarters
also made a combined $4.8 million in overtime last year.

Vitiello defended the long hours and said agents need to have a
strong presence on the border.

"Regardless of the level of illegal cross border activity, agents are
responsible for securing the border against all threats," Vitiello
said. "This means that agents must have the flexibility to develop
intelligence, act on that intelligence, interact with the community
and work with their law enforcement counterparts on illegal activity
that has a nexus to the mission."

As for those agents assigned to headquarters, Vitiello said they also
cover shifts around the clock, including stints in the agency's
situation room.

T.J. Bonner, a retired Border Patrol agent and former president of
the agents' union, said daily overtime is necessary to make sure any
gains made in securing the border aren't lost.

"You can't just punch in for an eight-hour day and go home," said
Bonner, who spent his career in the once-bustling San Diego sector.
"If you have gaps at shift change, they (criminals) are going to
exploit that gap."

Vitiello said the agency is looking at possible changes that would
impact overtime, including shifting to 10 hour shifts for four days a
week. No final decisions have been made.

Sharon Snellings, Customs and Border Protection's deputy assistant
commissioner of human resources, said agency officials also are
looking at shifting to another type of overtime system used by other
law enforcement agencies that she said could save the agency about
$70 million a year.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has said that her
department is constantly looking for ways to trim its multi-billion
budget.

"Every element of the federal government has an obligation to find
ways to do what we do more efficiently and in a more cost effective
manner," Napolitano said in a speech this past week. "We've been
looking for these ways for three years. It's everything ... it's
cutting down expenses related to procurement, it's doing certain
things with IT which are cutting the costs of that, it's eliminating
you know, subscriptions to unnecessary periodicals. We are finding
that we can get leaner and meaner. And we will continue to do that."

Napolitano did not mention cutting staff or spending for manpower.

Union president George McCubbin said the proposed changes don't "fit
the type of work that we do. It's more suited for investigations."
McCubbin said the current overtime system isn't perfect, but it does
ensure that agents are paid for the hours they work.

Bonner said such pay changes or a scheduling shift would amount a
substantial pay cut and mean hiring thousands of new agents to keep
the same level of enforcement at the border.

"You would sacrifice security for what amounts to a drop in the
bucket in the federal budget," Bonner said. "It's in exchange for
having a presence on the border. You would have to hire 25 percent of
the existing workforce to have the same coverage."

Bradley Schreiber, a former Homeland Security senior adviser and
current vice president for the Applied Science Foundation for
Homeland Security, said it's difficult to know if the Border Patrol's
overtime system is the most efficient because the government hasn't
come up with a clear strategy to measure the threat at the border and
respond appropriately.

"It's a circular question," Schreiber said. "Since there's no
assessment, how do you know ... does this make sense?"

Follow Alicia A. Caldwell at http://www.twitter.com/acaldwellap

Read more: http://azstarnet.com/news/national/ap-analysis-border-
patrol-ot-up-as-arrests-drop/article_ec3d9db0-
d247-5890-8d2e-304d952dfa51.html#ixzz1lR2tBYxV

AZMEX UPDATE 8-2-12

AZMEX UPDATE 8 FEB 2012

Note: seems to be a pattern, jump out of vehicle, run into desert
and get away. Way too often.
What's the problem?

Sheriff's deputies seize vehicle, pot after pursuit
Staff Reports
Published: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 8:34 AM MST
http://www.trivalleycentral.com/articles/2012/02/08/front/
doc4f3294165b812120613673.txt

The Pinal County Sheriff's Office seized more than $400,000 in
marijuana and an SUV Monday afternoon after a vehicle pursuit in
Stanfield.

Sheriff's Office spokesman Elias Johnson said deputies near Stanfield
Road and Arizona 84 initiated a vehicle pursuit at 3 p.m. after they
observed a silver Chevrolet Tahoe speed through a marked 15 mph
school zone at more than 85 mph. The 10-minute pursuit ended near
Connelly and Stanfield roads south of Interstate 8. Johnson said the
driver abandoned the SUV and fled on foot into the desert. Agents
from Border Patrol, Bureau of Land Management and a Sheriff's Office
K-9 unit conducted a search but were unsuccessful. More than 800
pounds of marijuana were found bundled inside the SUV. The marijuana
and vehicle were seized.

Note: any F&F link in this one?

Wanted fugitives arrested after pursuit in AC
Staff Reports
Published: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 5:10 AM MST
http://www.trivalleycentral.com/articles/2012/02/08/
arizona_city_independent/top_stories/doc4f316c9eb9b60853146764.txt

On Jan. 26, at approximately 10:47 p.m., a Pinal County Sheriff's
Office deputy was called to investigate two suspicious vehicles
parked for an extended period of time at the Sunlight Market located
at 13350 Sunland Gin Road.

Due to past armed robberies at this convenience store, the deputy
immediately activated his emergency lights as he entered the parking
lot. A male subject, later identified at Anthony Urquides, 23 of
Eloy, was seen running towards a Nissan Altima; one of the suspicious
vehicles.
Urquides entered the driver's seat and fled the scene westbound at a
high rate of speed on West Concordia Drive and a vehicle pursuit ensued.

A second PCSO unit joined the pursuit as Urquides made several
changes in his direction of travel before continuing westbound on
Carousel Drive.

After committing several traffic violations and fleeing in a reckless
manner from law enforcement, a pit maneuver of Urquides' vehicle was
performed on Carousel Drive and his vehicle was ultimately stopped
just south of Burma Road.

Deputies approached the vehicle with service weapons drawn and
ordered Urquides to exit the vehicle, to which he complied. A
passenger identified at Brian Harrison, 18 of Eloy, was also asked to
exit the vehicle and secured in handcuffs.

A search of the vehicle turned up an AK-47 assault rifle along with
two loaded magazines.

A search of Urquides turned up a large sum of cash in the amount of
$1,095, along with a list believed to be a narcotics transaction ledger.

It was discovered through records Urquides had an active warrant for
his arrest by the Eloy Police Department for Aggravated Assault
Involving a Firearm.
A background check of Harrison turned up an active felony warrant
through Pinal County Superior Court for a Probation Violation.

Urquides has also be charged with Unlawful Flight from Law Enforcement.

Posted: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 9:47 am | Updated: 11:22 am, Wed
Feb 8, 2012.
Details of downtown shooting still sketchy By Jonathan Clark
Nogales International
http://www.nogalesinternational.com/news/details-of-downtown-shooting-
still-sketchy/article_ecfa4b8c-5274-11e1-bcf7-0019bb2963f4.html
A man was airlifted to a Tucson hospital on Tuesday night after he
was shot in the leg in downtown Nogales under still-hazy circumstances.

Police responded to a home at 320 W. Noon St. at approximately 10
p.m. after receiving a report of a gunshot victim. Upon meeting with
an unidentified Hispanic male suffering from a gunshot to the leg,
the officers called on emergency personnel from the Nogales Fire
Department, who treated the man on the front steps of the home before
loading him onto an ambulance.

Lt. Carlos Jimenez of the Nogales Police Department said a
preliminary investigation suggests that the shooting happened on West
Larrimore Street, a short alleyway approximately two blocks north of
W. Noon. The victim, upon being shot, apparently walked with an
unidentified woman to the home on W. Noon, where they knew the
residents.
"I guess they figured, 'We'll go there first and ask for help from
them, and eventually call for the police and an ambulance,'" Jimenez
said.

Police have found evidence to help corroborate the location of the
shooting, Jimenez said, but other details provided by the victim and
his female companion have NPD investigators perplexed.
"His story keeps changing, her story is not the same as his, so
they're still trying to figure out exactly what's going on," he said.

There have been no arrests so far in the case, Jimenez said. He
described the man's injuries as non-life threatening.

AZMEX POLICY 8-2-12

AZMEX POLICY 8 FEB 2012

Note: you have now been warned.

Posted: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 8:20 am
Congressional field hearing in Nogales
Nogales International
http://www.nogalesinternational.com/news/congressional-field-hearing-
in-nogales/article_4f88bf30-519f-11e1-9843-0019bb2963f4.html

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) is scheduled to accompany three fellow
congressmen to Nogales on Friday for what he called an ad hoc field
hearing on border policy.

"Today, one in five Arizonans live in poverty," Grijalva said in a
press release. "Arizona is the second poorest state in the nation.
The people that live and work in border communities - my constituents
- understand the policy failures that have led us to this broken
economy and failed immigration system better than Washington. That's
what this day is going to be about."

Grijalva represents Nogales and Rio Rico as part of his Arizona
Congressional District 7.

He will be joined in Nogales on Friday by fellow Reps. Luis Gutierrez
(D-Ill), Silvestre Reyes, (D-Texas) and Michael Honda (D-Calif.) The
hearing will at in City Hall beginning at 1 p.m. and is set to
include testimony from law enforcement officers, local business
leaders and students affected by immigration policy.

The day will include a tour of the U.S.-Mexico Border as well as a
closed-door security briefing with law enforcement officials.

At 6 p.m., the delegation will participate in the "Arizona: Together
We Stand" rally hosted by BorderLinks, Southside Presbyterian Church,
Border Action Network, Coalicion de Derechos, No More Deaths and
Samaritans at San Miguel High School in Tucson.

AZMEX UPDATE 7-2-12

AZMEX UPDATE 7 FEB 2012

Agent from Rio Rico takes guilty pleas
Posted: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 8:16 am
Nogales International |
http://www.nogalesinternational.com/news/agent-from-rio-rico-takes-
guilty-pleas/article_dab4d8f6-519e-11e1-ab5f-0019bb2963f4.html

A federal agent from Rio Rico has pleaded guilty to 21 criminal
counts in a case in which she was accused of abusing her position to
pass sensitive information to drug traffickers.

Jovana Deas, 33, a former special agent with U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI),
entered the guilty pleas at Feb. 1 hearing at U.S. District Court,
the U.S. Attorney's Office announced on Monday.

The prosecutor's office said some of the sensitive information Deas
unlawfully accessed was later discovered on the laptop her former
brother-in-law in Brazil. The man is allegedly associated with a
Mexican drug trafficking organization that has ties to drug
traffickers in Brazil.

Prosecutors said Deas further admitted she illegally accessed, stole,
and transferred sensitive U.S. government documents to unauthorized
individuals, and that she obstructed Homeland Security Investigations.

Deas' guilty plea included a total of seven felony violations, each
punishable by up to five years in prison, and fourteen misdemeanors,
each punishable by up to one year in prison. She is scheduled to be
sentenced on April 11.

Deas began her federal law enforcement career in 2003 as a U.S.
Customs and Border Protection officer assigned to Nogales. In 2008,
she became an ICE HSI special agent assigned to the agency's Nogales
office.

The indictment to which Deas pleaded guilty also charges her sister,
40-year-old Dana Maria Samaniego Montes, 40, of Agua Prieta, Sonora
with violations of federal law. Samaniego Montes, a former Mexican
law enforcement official with alleged ties to drug trafficking
organizations, is a fugitive believed to be residing in Mexico.

AZMEX I3 7-2-12

AZMEX I3 7 feb 2012

Guatemalan man arrested near Nogales gets 37 months
Posted: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 8:17 am
Nogales International |
http://www.nogalesinternational.com/news/guatemalan-man-arrested-near-
nogales-gets-months/article_e8b18b84-519e-11e1-9c9a-0019bb2963f4.html

A Guatemalan man who was apprehended in April 2011 by Nogales Station
Border Patrol agents has been sentenced to 37 months in prison.

Elias Natanael Santos-Milian, 37, of Guatemala City, was sentenced
Jan. 23 at U.S. District Court in Tucson on one count of re-entry
after deportation, court records show. He had pled guilty to the
charge as part of an agreement with prosecutors.

Santos-Milian was arrested on April 20, 2011 after crossing the
border near Nogales. When Border Patrol agents ran his fingerprints
through their Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System,
they learned that he had been convicted in 2010 in Los Angeles for
sexual battery and sentenced to one year in jail.

A sentencing memorandum filed by Santos-Milian's lawyer said he had
re-entered the U.S. to reunite with his family in Los Angeles, and
then move them to Tijuana, Mexico.

Citing an attached letter from a physician, the lawyer, Daniel
Anderson, wrote that Santos-Milian's 8-year-old son underwent a
liver, intestine, and pancreas transplant in 2005, and has been under
constant medical care since. Anderson wrote that from Tijuana, Santos-
Milian's wife, a U.S. citizen, could still access U.S. medical care
for her son.

In handing down the sentence, Judge John Jarvey recommended that
Santos-Milian be imprisoned at or near Los Angeles.

Santos-Milian will be formally removed from the U.S. following
completion of his sentence and is now banned for life from all
legalization processes.

Greece to start work on anti-migrant border fence
Mon, 02/06/2012 - 13:37
The Associated Press
http://www.svherald.com/associatedpress/247494

KASTANIES, Greece (AP) — Greek authorities say they will start work
next month on a 10-kilometer (6-mile) fence on the country's border
with Turkey to deter waves of illegal immigration.

Public Order Minister Christos Papoutsis said Monday the obstacle is
expected to be finished by the beginning of September, and will cost
more than €3 million ($4 million).

The double fence, with a four-meter (13-foot) high fill of razor
wire, will stretch between the villages of Kastanies and Nea Vyssa in
the border Evros region, near the northeastern town of Orestiada.

The debt-cripple country receives thousands of illegal immigrants
from Turkey every year. Most of the border is delineated by the Evros
River, but the fence will cover a short stretch where the two
countries are divided by land and is easier to cross.

AZMEX SPECIAL 2 7 -2-12

AZMEX SPECIAL 2 7 FEB 2012

Note: interesting in several aspects.

NPD taps illicit cash to pay for a new station
Suspected drug cash can be used for positive public means once it has
been formally forfeited. The Nogales Police Department is trying to
collect forfeited cash to help it replace its out-of-date headquarters.

Posted: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 8:11 am

NPD taps illicit cash to pay for a new station
By Marisa Gerber
For the Nogales International
http://www.nogalesinternational.com/news/npd-taps-illicit-cash-to-pay-
for-a-new-station/article_52d06bf8-519e-11e1-acc4-0019bb2963f4.html

Sometimes positive outcomes are born of bad practices.

Take, for example, the Nogales Police Department's planned funding
method for a new station.

The department, with its 56 uniformed officers and 18 other staffers,
says it has outgrown its current digs at City Hall, which were built
in 1978 to accommodate 30 people. But when an effort to convince the
city council to finance a new station with bond and grant money fell
short of support, NPD needed a Plan B.

So now it's turning to another, relatively abundant source of funding
in Santa Cruz County, one that doesn't place an additional burden on
taxpayers: forfeitures of "dirty" money.

For years, local law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies have
relied on cash forfeitures to help pay for things ranging from Little
League sponsorships and college scholarships to D.A.R.E. programs,
law enforcement vehicles and crime-fighting equipment. And so Police
Chief Jeffrey Kirkham decided the NPD would crack down on cash
smuggling along Interstate 19 to turn his plans for a new station
into reality.

With the help of a half-million dollar grant from the state Attorney
General's Office, the department has seized close to $1 million in
suspected drug trafficking proceeds since Kirkham became chief in
January 2010.

But the department's aggressive cash-seizure effort is bypassing
traditional channels for cash forfeiture cases in Santa Cruz County.
And the county's fund for forfeited cash, which is controlled by
County Attorney George Silva, is emptier than usual.

"Right now, my fund is kind of running low, so I'm not doing a lot of
donations for youth organizations," Silva said. "It really hurts not
to be able to do it, but it's kind of where we're at."

I-19 alliance

In order to search someone's car for cash, Kirkham said, an officer
must first stop them for some other violation- say, for example,
speeding.

If, while interviewing the person, an officer develops "reasonable
suspicion" that there is drug money on board, they can search the
vehicle, Kirkham said. The cash is often stashed in secret
compartments, he said, and the department has dogs trained to sniff
it out.

Eight of the department's officers are certified to work the I-19
Southern Border Alliance program, which targets drug and cash
traffickers, Kirkham said. Not only did the state AG's office train
the officers how to best spot trafficking procedures, they also
helped fund the beefed-up patrol.

The Nogales Police Department landed the $500,000 grant from the
office last year, Kirkham said, and has used it to buy equipment and
a cash-sniffing canine. A bulk of the grant money, however, goes to
the officers, who are paid overtime to work the program.

Kirkham stressed that since the officers are working overtime, the
department hasn't skimped on anything to search for cash.

"Our officers are not taken away from their normal duties," Kirkham
said. "We continue to respond to calls. We did not lower our staffing
in other areas to do this."
"We're about at the $1 million mark," Kirkham said of the amount of
cash NPD has seized since he became chief, adding that he thinks the
department needs between $3 and $5 million to build a new facility.

When asked about concerns that the department's new station would be
constructed using once-dirty cash, Kirkham said that he didn't "see
the argument."
"The more we can get and put into this idea of building a facility
alleviates the taxpayers, who would be burdened with more bonds,"
Kirkham said. "If we can do it without the burden, that's a positive
thing."

Just don't expect it to happen too fast.

Andrew Pacheco, chief counsel of the financial remedies section of
the Arizona Attorney General's Office, said there's a hefty lag time
between when the cash is seized and when the agency actually gets it.
Even at "lightening fast" speed, Pacheco said, the process takes 120
days and often, depending on the amount of litigation, it can take
several years.

Once seized, the cash sits in an interest-bearing bank account until
the case makes its way through the court system, Pacheco said. If the
cash was, in fact, wrongly seized the owner gets it back - plus the
interest.

The percentage of cash pocketed by the prosecuting agency - in this
case the state Attorney General's office - also depends on how much
litigation the case needs, Pacheco said. Typically, though, there's
an 80-20 split between the law enforcement agency - such as the NPD -
and the AG's office.

Pacheco said his office not only has a long-standing forfeiture
program, but also a cadre of 10 or so attorneys dedicated solely to
forfeiture cases.
"We really serve as a resource to the whole state," Pacheco said.

'More hands'

Like the Attorney General's Office, the Santa Cruz County Attorney's
Office is in the business of cash forfeitures. The local
prosecutorial agency processes all cash seized by the multi-agency
Santa Cruz County Metro Task Force.

The Nogales Police Department, which is part of the task force, used
to take its money to the county attorney, which controls and divvies
up the RICO - Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organizations - funds,
Silva said.

However, since it received the Southern Border Alliance funds, the
NPD has started to take the bulk of its money to the state Attorney
General.

"We just lost $400,000," Silva said of a recent seizure that's being
prosecuted by the Arizona Attorney General. Nogales police officers
working the I-19 program late last month stopped a car for a traffic
violation and eventually found the cash stashed inside.

Still, Silva said, his biggest concern is prosecuting the smugglers.

"I just want to make sure the Attorney General's office is
prosecuting," Silva said. "Losing money, that's part of the deal, but
if you send someone to prison, it has more bite."

Despite the loss of some NPD-seized funds, the County Attorney's
Office still gets money from cash seizures made at the Nogales ports
of entry. When U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizes cash at the
border, they refer the case to U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI), another
federal agency.

ICE HSI has a $150,000 threshold, Silva said, meaning that
forfeitures below that amount often get kicked down to the County
Attorney's Office.

Larger cases stay with the feds.

For example, in November 2010, a 25-year-old Mexican woman named
Judith Angelica Ayala-Partida tried to smuggle more than $900,000
into Mexico through Nogales. Seven months later, she pleaded guilty
in U.S. District Court and forfeited the cash.

But in September 2011, when a 40-year-old Mexican woman and her two
teenage children were arrested at the Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry
after a botched attempt to smuggle $100,000 across the border, ICE
HSI turned the case over to NPD for local prosecution. (See story on
Page 2)

Cash seizures at the ports are down, however. U.S. Customs and Border
Protection said in late January that it had seized nearly $1.8
billion in suspected drug cash at Arizona's ports since new federal
fiscal year began on Oct. 1. That compared with nearly $5 million
seized during the same time period a year ago.

The local RICO fund is also lower than usual, Silva said. He
estimated that it now holds roughly $60,000, though he added that the
amount fluctuates greatly. Sometimes the fund has nothing in it, he
said, but there was one point three years ago when it held between
$700,000 and $800,000.

And while the state AG generally divides cash seizures on a 20-80
basis with the corresponding law enforcement agency, Silva said his
office doesn't take a cut of forfeiture cases and doesn't earmark the
funds specifically for the agency that brings them in. Instead, all
seized funds go into the same RICO account.

"It's a small community. Everything goes into one pot," he said.
"That's the way it was, and it worked."

Nowadays, he said, "More people want to get their hands in the cookie
jar." Though he noted the federal government's legitimate claim to
money that its law enforcement officers seize.
"In my perspective, it's great if the money comes to us, but I also
understand that the feds need the money," he said.

As for the NPD's I-19 seizures now being processed by the state AG's
office, Silva insisted he doesn't mind too much that he's missing
out, since he knows the police department is saving up for a new
station. "All of that is coming back to our community," he said.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

AZMEX SPECIAL 7-2-12

AZMEX SPECIAL 7 FEB 2012

Note: Remember the Monterrey casino massacre? As mentioned here on
occasion, none of these issues, drugs, illegal immigration, unsecured
border, arms trafficking, politics and corruption; can be separated.

7 February 2012 Last updated at 08:33 ET
Obama campaign returns funds linked to Mexico fugitive
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16924314

US President Barack Obama's election campaign is to return donations
linked to the family of a fugitive Mexican casino magnate.

The Chicago-based brothers of Juan Jose Rojas Cardona, known as Pepe,
raised some $200,000 (£126,000) for Mr Obama.

Pepe Cardona fled the US in 1994 and is now seeking a pardon for drug
and fraud charges, the New York Times reports.

Meanwhile, Mr Obama is to allow a pro-Democratic fundraising group to
raise unlimited cash to back his candidacy.

Mr Obama's official campaign war-chest is healthy - with some $81m
cash in hand at the end of 2011 - but relies on small donors.

Campaign officials have said that most donors give $250 or less, with
an average donation of $56.
Suspicion of murder

The report in the New York Times detailing the Cardonas brothers'
continuing links to their fugitive brother prompted a swift reaction
from the Obama 2012 campaign.

"On the basis of the questions that have been raised, we will return
the contributions from these individuals and from any other donors
they brought to the campaign," said Ben LaBolt, a spokesman for the
Obama campaign.

He said the campaign "constantly" reviews contributions received and
said that more than 1.3 million Americans have donated so far.

According to a leaked US state department cable from 2009, Pepe
Cardona - now based in Mexico's Monterrey region - was suspected of
orchestrating the murder of a business rival.

After the rival's death, Pepe Cardona became the largest operator of
casinos - often used to launder illicit profits - in the area.

Last year, according to the New York Times, his Chicago-based
brothers Carlos and Alberto Rojas Cardona arranged for the former
chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party to seek a pardon for him from
the governor.

However, no pardon was reported to be forthcoming.
'Two sets of rules'

The decision to hand back the Cardona donations came as it emerged
that the president had given his personal backing to Priorities USA,
a so-called "super PAC" (political action committee).

Obama aides, campaign officials and some government members will be
allowed to speak at Priorities USA events, the Obama campaign said.

The decision is aimed at countering what the Obama campaign sees as a
key financial advantage for the president's Republican rivals.

A 2010 Supreme Court ruling allows super PACs to raise unlimited cash
to support of a candidate, as long as they do not co-ordinate
activities with the candidate's campaign.

Presidential front-runner Mitt Romney's official campaign has seen a
pro-Romney super PAC, Restore Our Future, spend heavily on negative
advertising during the primary season. Newt Gingrich's cash-strapped
campaign has been kept alive by money donated to a pro-Gingrich super
PAC, Winning Our Future.

Two super PACs set up by former George W Bush aide Karl Rove raised
some $51m in 2011 to spend on upcoming 2012 battles.

Although Mr Obama has previously decried the influence of money in
politics, Democratic super PACs have raised little cash so far.

In an email to supporters on Monday night, Obama campaign manager Jim
Messina said the Democrats would "not play by two sets of rules" in
the upcoming election.

AZMEX FF 2-2-12

Note: for those who haven't seen it yet. Interesting and more than
a little disturbing.
it is a pdf attachment.
thx

Monday, February 6, 2012

AZMEX SPECIAL 2-2-12

AZMEX SPECIAL 2 FEB 2012

Note: Some interesting writing from one of us lowly locals. Ed
Ashurst speaks for himself, and for a lot other of folks on the
border. No government or media reports here. The following is
passed on from folks down there. BTW, a few years ago when the
smelter closed, it was thought that Douglas would disappear. Didn't
happen. Also just up the road, about 50 miles, from the Mexican
mining center of Cananea. Read it at your digestions peril.

Ed Ashurst manages a large ranch near Rodeo, NM, just north of Warner
and Wendy's ranch, and some of it laps over into New Mexico. Both it
and the Glenn ranch lie along Geronimo Trail that starts from Douglas
(extension of 15th St.) and the border just east of "D" Hill at
Douglas and meanders to the northeast. He doesn't mention it, but the
largest Border Patrol post in the U.S. now is about four miles west of
Douglas on the old Johnson ranch just south of the SP railroad bed,
about one-half mile from the Mexican border, and southwest of the old
Hanigan's dairy. This is about the fourth piece I have read written
by Ed Ashurst. He certainly writes descriptively. I am afraid,
however, that what he says in the 7th paragraph below about the
possible legitimacy of some businesses in Douglas may have some truth
in it. I hope not, but some people have said the same thing to me.

Begin forwarded message:

Subject: An Essay about Truth

My backyard....And this president sees fit to ignore what is going
on at our border and even lie about it....

In a message dated 1/28/2012 4:20:03 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time,
____ writes:

The Truth Hurts
"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."
Quote by Albert Einstein

On three occasions in the last twelve months I have toured the
border east of Douglas with various dignitaries including authors, Tea
Party leaders, film makers and three congressman: Jason Altmire and
Tim Holden from Pennsylvania, and John Barrow from the state of
Georgia. If you stand at the international boundary where it traverses
the southern edge of the San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge you
can look east and west and see a stretch of road right next to the
border fence and get a panoramic view at the least fifteen miles in
length. At no time on any of these three trips did we encounter, or
see, a single border patrol vehicle or agent. Why isn't the Border
Patrol on the border?

Twenty-seven miles straight north of the San
Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge, five miles north of Highway 80 on
Price Canyon Road there is a Border Patrol camp. While three shifts of
agents work out of this camp Mexican outlaws pack dope on a nightly
basis a mere stones throw away from the FEMA surplus camp trailers
that house these Border Patrol employees. I live where Price Canyon
Road leaves the highway, and I view Border Patrol vehicles going to
and fro fifteen times an hour - 24/7. Off duty agents drive into town
in government vehicles to get supplies, and none of them that you ask
will tell you they catch more than one in four illegal aliens; many
estimates are one in ten.

In the last several years Mexican cartel employees
have started numerous forest fires in Cochise County costing the
American taxpayer hundreds of millions to fight. In the summer of 2011
the Horseshoe Fire #2 burned the entire Chiricahua Mountain range down
and that fire alone cost the U.S. Treasury fifty million to put out.
Since that fire the National Forest Service, who refuses to
acknowledge the fires were started by outlaw Mexicans, have installed
large metal gates on all major roads entering forest lands in the
Chiricahua range.

On Tex Canyon Road a mile or so above the Krentz Ranch
the new gate is a few steps away from a large sign installed by the
federal government warning all who see it that drug smugglers and
criminal aliens are known to be in the area. The heavy metal gate that
cost taxpayers $2500.00 to build has one purpose: to deny access to
you and me on what is supposed to be public land. Mexican outlaws are
free to roam, but you and I will soon be locked out. Why do Mexican
outlaws have more freedom that I have?

A Border Patrol supervisor from the camp on Price
Canyon Road recently told a neighboring rancher that he was going to
have to take some mandatory time off. "Why?" The rancher asked. The
agent replied he had exceeded the maximum overtime limit and if he
didn't stand down for several weeks he would be making too much money.
"How much do you make," the rancher asked? "Oh, I'll pull down about
$134 thousand this year" was the agents reply.

In the last decade job growth in the private sector
has increased 1 percent, compared to 15 percent in government. When
this recession started a couple years ago the U.S. Department of
Transportation had one employee making $170,000 a year, today there
are 1690. Employees in the Department of Defense making over $150,000
a year has increased in numbers from 1168 to 10,100 in a couple years.
Since Obama has been elected President, federal employees making over
$100,000 have doubled in number. Per capita, individuals who are
employed by the federal government make over twice as much as those
employed in the private sector. The Border Patrol itself has 21,000
plus agents. I wonder how many of these would vote for a candidate who
truly wanted to seal the border?

In the last few months I have interviewed numerous
business people and law enforcement personnel from several agencies. I
ask them how many businesses in border towns like Douglas are
legitimate and how many are mere fronts for money laundering and other
illegal activities relative to cartel smuggling. The lowest estimate
given me was 20 percent who are involved to some degree with illegal
border trade. The highest estimate was 80 percent, with most people I
talked to saying it's somewhere between 35 percent and 50 percent. No
one I questioned denies a large underground economy that benefits not
only Mexicans but many U.S. citizens, some of whom have ties to
Washington D.C. The drug trade in Mexico is estimated to be a trillion
dollar industry. No one knows for sure how big it is, but everyone
agrees that it is so awash with cash that it makes the GDP of many
nations in the world pale in comparison.

I am acquainted with a plain clothes NARC detective
(who is not employed by a federal agency). In a conversation a few
months ago he told me a story how in the mid-nineties he and other
officers after making a large narcotics bust acquired enough evidence
to arrest three U.S. Customs agents for taking bribes and in the
course of the investigation on these agent's treasonous acts they put
together a cut and dried case that should have convicted them. They
couldn't even get an indictment. He explained that the U.S. Customs
agency itself didn't want the bad publicity. The judge was apathetic
and the district attorney was lazy - nobody cared. At the end of this
story he looked at me with disgust and said," Right today I know of
ten agents working at the port of entry between Douglas and Agua
Prieta that are taking bribes, and there is nothing I can do about
it."

The idea that a fence from San Diego to Brownsville
will fix the border problem is a fantasy. The border isn't sealed
because too many people are getting immensely wealthy doing business
under the radar and many of them are Americans. For Washington
politicians there is too much power at stake to actually find real
solutions.

We don't need a fence; we need a change in the rules of
engagement. About ten years ago about a dozen Cochise County ranchers,
including myself had a meeting with Congressman Tom Tancredo. Mr.
Tancredo is a true pioneer in trying to expose truth about border
violence and the flood of illegal activity on the border. He told us
that on any given day it was impossible to find over two or three
individuals in the capitol building who would be willing to discuss
border issues. Everyone in Washington, Mr. Tancredo said, considers
the problem on the border political suicide.

The impotent gangster, Philipe Calderon, who is nothing but a
puppet in a regime completely out of control, gets an invite from
Obama himself to address a joint session of Congress. His speech,
which Obama hoped he could use to embarrass conservatives in general
and Arizona in particular, was considered a smashing success by all on
the left. Congressman Altmire, Holden, and Barrow were there along
with Giffords, Pelosi, Reed, Grijalva and McCain, standing - cheering.
We bomb Qadafi without a declaration of war and ignore the plague of
human atrocities committed daily in Philipe Calderon's country.

In an article in the New American Friday January 13, 2012 written
by Brian Koenig some enlightening statistics about the U.S. citizen
and immigration service are revealed. The article states that over
half of USCIS officials say that Obama puts more focus on promoting
immigration that on national security. Twenty-four percent of USCIS
officials say that they are pressured by their superiors to approve
applications that should have been rejected. The article goes on to
say that five veteran employees were either demoted or given a choice
to relocate because they were too tough on individuals applying for
immigration benefits. "People are afraid," said one veteran employee.
"Integrity only carries a person so far because they've got to pay the
rent."

I personally have had a dozen or more Border Patrol agents tell me
their superior officers purposely cause them to be unsuccessful.
Border Patrol agents who are aggressive are given desk jobs and
incompetence is rewarded. There are several agents in prison for
simply doing their jobs. Agent Brian Terry lost his life because of
the Obama administration's refusal to call the situation what it is:
dangerous. Bean bags should never have been an option.

In the last few weeks there has been considerable uproar over SB
1867. This bill was coauthored by none other than Arizona's own
Manchurian candidate, John McCain. It gives, among other things, the
President the right to send the U.S. Army to your house and arrest you
if he (in this case, Obama) deems you are a threat to National
Security. No due process, no phone call, no attorney, no trial, only
the Gulag. Of course Obama promises to never misuse the language of
the bill which he and McCain think we the people have misinterpreted.

Perhaps at this time the contents of this bill seem benign, but I
believe in the not too distant future this is going to change. The
situation in Mexico continues to deteriorate, and in spite of what
Obama says the effects of cartel presence within our borders increases
daily. The United States government will eventually be forced to
acknowledge we are in a war, if not with Mexico, at least with the
Mexican drug cartels. Experts say that the cartels now control seventy
percent of Mexico, so war with Mexico or war with Mexican drug cartels
are for all practical purposes one and the same.

If and when the U.S. government (which means Obama or whoever is
on the throne) realizes war has come home to roost, the language is SB
1867 could take on a more relevant tone. Could it at that time seem
more acceptable for a president to arrest someone who has the
reputation of being dangerous?

This puts a whole new light on Joe Biden's comment that the
Taliban isn't the real enemy.

Under Obama, respect for the constitution and the rule of law have
been replaced by post millennial political activism. Patriotism has
become a dirty word. The Obama agenda is not, nor has it ever been,
solution driven. This is most evident in the President's refusal to
acknowledge the well documented relationship the Mexican drug cartels
have with Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist groups who want to
destroy America.

Since Obama became President we've had no federal budget, colossal
debt, embarrassing foreign policy, no energy policy, higher gas
prices, no Keystone pipeline, higher unemployment, increased class
warfare, embarrassing government subsidies to companies doomed to
bankruptcy, praise from the White House toward Wall Street occupiers
and open hatred for Tea Party activists, violence and increased
anarchy on the Mexican border, increased anger, frustration ,
confusion, depression, hysteria, and disgust from the American public
which leads to more executive power, more departmental czars,
increased regulation, federal intervention, and eventually we will
have martial law.

As Rahm Emmanuel said, "You never want a good crisis to go to
waste."

By now you are probably thinking, "This guy is paranoid." I have
contemplated this and have decided that paranoia rests on a higher
plane than deliberate naivety and cultivated stupidity. One doesn't
have to participate in the current dumbing down of America.

Connect the dots and fill in the spaces. The border isn't getting
sealed because too many people are getting rich and powerful
perpetuating the red hot economy that drug and human trafficking
fuels. Anarchy, cruelty and killing are just unfortunate byproducts of
the crisis that Obama and Holder and Napolitano refuse to recognize.

In a recent conversation I had with Cochise County Sheriff Larry
Dever, who is an honorable man, I remarked to him, "Larry, several
people have told me that the cartel is going to kill me because of the
articles I've written. What do you think?" He replied, "Yes, there are
people who would kill you if given the opportunity" He paused
momentarily, staring at me, and then continued, "But who you really
need to worry about is the U.S. government. They have ways of
punishing people like you."

That begs another question, "Who are you afraid of?" The
possibilities are endless.

Ed Ashurst
Apache, Arizona
January 26, 2012

AZMEX I3 3-2-12

AZMEX I3 3 FEB 2012

Man convicted in Tucson of human trafficking
The Associated Press | Posted: Friday, February 3, 2012 9:02 am

A Mexican man has been convicted in a human smuggling case in Arizona.
Berlain Galvez-Lopez, 26, was found guilty Wednesday in U.S. District
Court in Tucson on three counts of smuggling immigrants for private
financial gain. He's scheduled to be sentenced on April 12, federal
prosecutors say.
U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Casa Grande area discovered several
footprints after responding to detection technology while patrolling
in the west desert last November.
Agents tracked the footprints for several miles before encountering a
group of individuals who had entered Arizona illegally.
During processing, agents identified Galvez-Lopez as the foot guide
or "coyote." A records check also revealed Galvez-Lopez had been
deported twice before for being in the country illegally.

Read more: http://azstarnet.com/news/local/crime/man-convicted-in-
tucson-of-human-trafficking/article_17d47298-4e7d-11e1-
ab25-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz1lLaX6qSw

Mexico migrants send home 7% more money
by Diana Washington Valdez \ El Paso Times
Posted: 02/03/2012 12:00:00 AM MST
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_19882101

The amount of money migrants sent home to Mexico increased by nearly
7 percent in 2011, according to Mexico's central bank.
It is the first increase in remittances reported by the Banco Central
de Mexico since the U.S. recession in 2008, the bank reported on
Wednesday.
Remittances last year totaled about $22.7 billion, compared with
$21.27 billion in 2010. Remittances to Mexico had dropped 15.5
percent between 2008 and 2009.
The improving U.S. economy probably contributed to this increase,
said Tom Fullerton, J.P. Morgan Chase economics professor at the
University of Texas at El Paso, on Thursday.
Migrant workers Fernandez Gamez and Isidro Mancha said they've
managed to find work by following harvests in West Texas, New Mexico,
Colorado and Nebraska.
"I've been sending money to relatives in the state of Durango for
more than 30 years," Mancha said. "They never had any trouble
receiving it. The amount varies depending on how much I make. I've
sent $150 to $500 at a time."
Gamez, who has family in the border state of Coahuila, said his
average remittance is $300, whenever he saves that much after paying
for his living expenses.
"I've worked in farm fields since 1988, and I've sent money back home
since then," Gamez said. "It's not always easy to find work, but that
only means you have to try harder."
Gamez and Mancha, who after a long day of work were cleaning up at
the Border Farm Workers Center in South El Paso, said they use
Western Union for their money transfers.

The top five receiving states for remittances in Mexico in the last
quarter of 2011 were Michoacan, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Puebla and
Oaxaca, in that order.
Fullerton said the growth in services that enable people to make
money transfers to foreign countries has led to a drop in the fees.
"There is more competition, which means in a lot of cases they're
paying lower fees to transfer those funds back home," Fullerton said.
"This service has become much more competitive as the dollar volume
surpassed the $10 billion per year mark."
Banks, the U.S. Postal Service, MoneyGram, Western Union, pre-paid
credit cards, money orders and Internet services like PayPal are some
of the ways that remitters are using to send money to other countries.
The World Bank's website shows how much it can cost to send $200 or
$500 from the United States to Mexico or other countries, depending
on the service and how fast the money needs to arrive at the other
end. A previous study by the Pew Hispanic Center found that the
average remittance to Mexico was $300.
For example, one of the services may charge $20 for next-day service,
$25 for money to arrive in an hour, or $8 if the transfer can take
place over three to five days. The site is at
remittanceprices.worldbank.org.
Globally, remittances totaled about $440 billion in 2010, according
to the World Bank, with $325 billion of that received by developing
countries. Due to the informal economy, the true flows of money
around the world are thought to be much higher.
Two years ago, the top receiving countries for remittances were
India, China, Mexico and the Philippines, and the top source
countries were the United States, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and Russia.
"Remittances are one of Mexico's principal sources of foreign
exchange, which in a way is a little bit surprising for an economy
the size of Mexico's," Fullerton said, "and it looks like it's going
to continue this way in the absence of any meaningful structural
reforms that will allow the economy to operate more efficiently."
Remittances as a whole account for Mexico's second-largest source of
revenue after oil exports.
Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com;
546-6140.

Immigrant Rights March Starts Along US-Mexico Border
The group will start in San Diego, head to Arizona and then to
Sacramento to lobby for migrants & farm workers rights.
By Marissa Cabrera
Thursday, February 2, 2012
http://www.fronterasdesk.org/news/2012/feb/02/immigrant-rights-march-
starts-along-us-mexico-bord/

SAN DIEGO — A march to remember migrants who died along the U.S.-
Mexico border gets underway Feb. 2 in San Diego.

Immigrant rights activists plan to caravan to several destinations
within the next 10 days. The event starts at Cesar Chavez Park in the
Barrio Logan neighborhood.

From there, they'll caravan to a cemetery in the Imperial Valley
where unidentified migrants, who have died crossing the border, have
been laid to rest.

They also plan to meet with the family of famed labor leader Cesar
Chavez during a visit to Yuma, Arizona. This year marks the 50th
anniversary since Chavez founded the United Farm Workers.

Enrique Morones is with the group Border Angels. The organization,
which sets out water in the desert for migrants crossing the border,
has been organizing the event for seven years.

The poster for the 7th annual Marcha Migrante (Immigrant Rights
March) which starts Feb. 2 in San Diego.

"The Marcha Migrantes have been very important," Morones said. "The
first one, we went to 40 cities in 27 days, and that was to help
spark the national marches."

This year, the march will focus on the legacy of Cesar Chavez.

"We will be promoting Cesar's 10 principles," Morones said.

The schedule also includes a trip to Sacramento, where activist plan
to meet with lawmakers to discuss farm workers rights and immigration
reform.

Organizers expect more than 100 people to participate. The march is
scheduled to end Feb. 11 with a ceremony at Friendship Park along the
U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego.

AZMEX EXTRA 6-2-12

AZMEX EXTRA 6 FEB 2012

Flow of illegal guns is my anti-crime fight in Latin America: Insulza
"We are full of more powerful weapons than the police," said Insulza.
Organización Editorial Mexicana
February 6, 2012
AFP
http://www.oem.com.mx/elheraldodechihuahua/notas/n2416532.htm

Washington, United States. - The flow "constant" of illegal weapons
to Latin America threatens the ability to implement policies to
tackle organized crime, said Monday the secretary general of the
Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza.

"It is impossible to delineate a policy of public safety, strengthen
the police, (...) if the gangs and criminal gangs have constant and
continuous flow, the normal and secure supply of illegal firearms",
Insulza said at a seminar on arms trafficking in the OAS.

The head of the OAS said that although most Latin American countries
have restrictive laws, "we are full of weapons sometimes more
powerful than the police."
"We all know perfectly well that the act is due strictly to the
action of organized crime to transfer weapons, shop abroad and bring
them to Latin America and the Caribbean," he said.

The governments of Mexico and Central America, struggling against a
rising tide of organized crime related violence and drug trafficking,
the United States require more control over arms sales, which are
then illegally trafficked into the south.

The government of Mexico, where organized crime violence has killed
more than 50 000 deaths in the last five years, says that 80% of
weapons seized from drug cartels originated in the United States.

"While not seeking at least a possibility of harmonizing the laws of
some other countries in the field of firearms, we will continue to
suffer a very complex situation," said Insulza.
"We can not regret the consequences, we must address the causes, and
I think we still have much work to do," he said.

Insulza said the OAS has made "tremendous efforts" against the
illegal trafficking of arms, including a program noted for marking
arms for ease of tracking, which are already involved 20 countries in
the region.

The OAS Secretary General has called in the past to the continent's
countries to ratify the Convention against the Illicit Manufacturing
of and Trafficking in Firearms (CIFTA), adopted in 1997, which has
not been ratified by several countries including the United States.

Flujo de armas ilegales mina lucha anticrimen en América Latina:
Insulza
"Estamos llenos de armas a veces más poderosas que las de la
Policía", dijo Insulza. Foto: Archivo/AFP
Organización Editorial Mexicana
6 de febrero de 2012

AFP
http://www.oem.com.mx/elheraldodechihuahua/notas/n2416532.htm

Washington, EU.- El flujo "constante" de armas ilegales hacia América
Latina atenta contra la posibilidad de aplicar políticas para hacer
frente al crimen organizado, advirtió este lunes el secretario
general de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA), José Miguel
Insulza.

"Es imposible delinear una política de seguridad pública, fortalecer
las policías, (...) si las pandillas y bandas criminales tienen el
flujo constante y permanente, el abastecimiento seguro y normal de
armas de fuego" ilegales, indicó Insulza durante un seminario sobre
el tráfico de armas en la OEA.

El titular de la OEA dijo que a pesar de que la mayor parte de los
países latinoamericanos poseen leyes restrictivas, "estamos llenos de
armas a veces más poderosas que las de la Policía".

"Todos sabemos perfectamente que ese hecho se debe estrictamente a la
acción del crimen organizado para traspasar armas que compran en
otros países y llevarlas hacia América Latina y el Caribe", dijo.

Los gobiernos de México y América Central, que luchan contra una
creciente ola de violencia producto del crimen organizado y el
narcotráfico, exigen a Estados Unidos un mayor control en la venta de
armas, que luego son traficadas ilegalmente hacia el sur.

El gobierno de México, donde la violencia del crimen organizado ha
dejado más de 50 mil muertos en los últimos cinco años, afirma que el
80% de las armas incautadas a los cárteles de la droga tienen su
origen en Estados Unidos.

"Mientras no busquemos al menos una posibilidad de armonizar las
legislaciones de unos y otros países en materia de armas de fuego,
vamos a seguir sufriendo una situación muy compleja", advirtió Insulza.

"No podemos seguir lamentando las consecuencias, tenemos que
enfrentar las causas, y pienso que todavía nos queda mucho trabajo
por hacer", aseveró.

Insulza afirmó que la OEA ha hecho "enormes esfuerzos" contra el
tráfico ilegal de armas, y entre ellos destacó un programa para el
marcaje de armas, para facilitar su rastreo, en el cual ya participan
20 países de la región.

El secretario general de la OEA ha llamado en el pasado a los países
del continente a ratificar la Convención Interamericana contra la
Fabricación y el Tráfico Ilícito de Armas de Fuego (CIFTA), adoptada
en 1997, que no ha sido ratificada por varios países, entre ellos
Estados Unidos.