Pubdate: Mon, 27 Sep 1999 Source: Orange County Register (CA) Copyright: 1999 The Orange County Register Contact: http://www.ocregister.com/ Section: News page 13-Second Front Page Author: Janelle Carter, The Associated Press MEXICAN DRUG RING BROKEN U.S. Authorities Say 98 Arrests Dismantle Carrillo Operation WASHINGTON-Federal and local drug-enforcement officers have arrested 93 suspects in a sweeping crackdown that one official said Wednesday had dismantled the operations of the notorious late drug trafficker Amado Carillo Fuentes "from top to bottom." The arrests over the past 18 months resulted from an investigation into one of the largest drug cartels in Mexico. The cartel is believed to have funneled tons of Colombian cocaine through Mexico into major U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Miami, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Houston, and from there throughout the country. The investigation, dubbed "Operation Impunity," targeted alleged "cell heads" running the drug operation after the death of Carillo, who was known as the "Lord of the Skies" because of his use of large aircraft to transport drugs. Carillo was considered Mexico's No. 1 druglord until he died in July 1997 while recovering from plastic surgery designed to help him evade arrest. "We have substantially hindered their ability to move cocaine and other drugs into, and around, this country," said Attorney General Janet Reno. "It means we have taken another step forward in making our streets safer," she said. While authorities were careful to point out that drug players and operations are usually replaced, Donnie Marshall, acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, said: "We effectively dismantled this operation from top to bottom ... right down to their local distribution networks." "This operation was undertaken to prove that traffickers in Mexico and the United States no longer operate with impunity," Marshall said. The investigation was conducted by the DEA along with the FBI and the U.S. Customs Service and scores of local police departments around the country. It also had the cooperation of the Mexican government, a stark contrast to last year, when Mexican officials were incensed at a U.S. sting operation that snared some 160 people suspected of laundering drug profits, including two dozen Mexican bank executives who had been lured to the United States and arrested. This time, Mexican Attorney General Jorge Madrazo Cuellar told reporters, "We were completely involved in this operation in the United States." Indeed, shortly after the U.S. announcement, authorities said they had been informed that the Mexican government Wednesday had arrested one suspect indicted in this country - Jaime Aguilar-Gastelum. He was arrested in Reynosa, Mexico, the DEA said. Authorities said they had to overcome sophisticated criminals who hid drugs in crates of cilantro or watermelons and used sophisticated telephone systems to disguise calls. Most of the arrests were in the United States, but two suspects are in custody in the Dominican Republic. The key lieutenant of the organization, Gilberto Salina-Doria - a former Donna, Texas, police officer - was already in Mexican custody on unrelated charges, authorities said. The three main "cell heads," believed responsible for directing the Carillo cartel's operations in U.S.cities, were arrested in this country. Arturo Arredondo allegedly had overall reponsibility for U.S. transportation and distribution of the organization's drugs and is the highest-ranking trafficker of the U.S. operations. Also arrested were Jesse Quintanilla, who was believed responsible for the Chicago operations, and Jorge Ontiveros-Rodrigues, who allegedly oversaw San Diego cocaine distribution. Authorities said arrest were made in 15 U.S. cities. In addition to cash and other assets, agents seized about 5,500 pounds of cocaine and 4,800 pounds of marijuana. Authorities could not put a dollar value on the drugs seized. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea