Thursday, January 5, 2012

Arellano Felix Drug Cartel Leader Pleads Guilty To Money Laundering And Racketeering Federal Charges In U.S.

Alberto Benjamín Arellano Felix

Druglord led the Tijuana based Arellano Felix Cartel between 1986 to 2002, according to feds.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 5, 2012

San Diego, California - On Wednesday, Alberto Benjamín Arellano Felix, 58, aka, "El Señor" pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder money, drug trafficking and racketeering in the U.S. District Court of Southern California. Benjamín faces up to 25 years in a federal prison and $100 milion in forfeiture under a plea agreement. He will be eligible to be released in 20 years, and then would be deported to Mexico where he has a federal pending sentence of nine years to serve.
He will be sentenced by U.S. Judge Larry Burns on April 2, according to court records. Under the plea agreement, Benjamín admitted to bribing law enforcement officials and ordering numerous homicides involving informants and rival cartel members. Rival cartel members and fatally tortured victims were also dissolved in barrels filled with lye or acid.
Benjamín and three of his brothers, Eduardo Arellano Felix, Javier Arellano Felix and Ramon Arellano Felix ran the Arellano Felix Cartel based in Tijuana and controlled the major border routes between Mexico and the U.S. between 1990 to 2000, according to a federal indictment.
The Arellano Cartel was responsible for transporting, smuggling and distributing thousands of tons of marijuana and cocaine into the U.S. from Colombia and Mexico.
Benjamín led the Arellano Felix cartel between 1986 to 2002 when he was arrested in Puebla, Mexico. In 2007, Benjamín was sentenced to 22 years in a Mexican federal prison for money laundering and operating a criminal organization. He has nine years left to serve in that conviction in Mexico.
In April 29, 2011, Benjamín was extradited to the U.S. for racketeering, money laundering and drug trafficking charges.
In 2002, Ramon, was killed in a confrontation with the Mexican military; Javier was arrested in 2006 and was extradited to the U.S., he was later convicted for drug trafficking, racketeering and was sentenced to life in prison and Eduardo was arrested in 2008 in Mexico and is awaiting extradition to the U.S.

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