AMARILLO, TEXAS -- If you kill a U.S. agent there will be repercussions, that is the message that federal, state, and local authorities across the country are sending to members of Mexican drug cartels in the United States and Latin America. Operations in Central America, Colombia, and Brazil are also ongoing.
Jeff Stamm, Assistant Special Agent in Charge with the DEA in the Dallas office, says they are targeting Zetas and other drug traffickers having any link to the death of ICE agent Jaime Zapata, that happened last week. They are doing everything possible to turn up any and all information.
"We are taking it to these guys," said Stamm.
The DEA office here in Amarillo, has reached out to state and local counterparts in a coordinated multi-jurisdictional
multi-agency response.
The DEA division for North Texas, the Panhandle, and Oklahoma have made 57 arrests, and seized approximately 70 pounds of methamphetamine, 40 kilograms of cocaine, 200 pounds of marijuana, 36 weapons and over $2 million in U.S. currency, gold bullion and other assets. There is no word if any of the arrests or seizures are from our area.
Stamm said this is a team effort nationwide.
"We're Shaking the trees on these Mexican drug trafficking cartels."
In a press release from the DEA, John Chakwin, the Special Agent in Charge ICE Dallas and James L. Capra, the Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Division of DEA said in a joint statement, "We will not allow the brutal targeting and murder of a U.S. Law Enforcement Agent in Mexico to remain unanswered. The violent and destructive acts perpetrated by drug trafficking organizations upon the people of this nation, as well as Mexico, are being responded to today by a robust and unified enforcement of the law throughout the United States and Latin America. DEA is proud to apply our full resources, energies and expertise, along with our partners, to this crucial operation."
Nationwide authorities have arrested more than 200 people.
Louie Garcia, deputy special agent with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement said "We lost an agent, we lost a good agent. And we have to respond."
As part of the effort coordinated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and ICE, authorities seized at least $8 million in cash and confiscated millions of dollars' worth of illegal drugs.
The massive search for people connected to any Mexican drug cartel working in the United States began Wednesday night as a direct response to the Feb. 15 killing of ICE agent Jaime Zapata in a roadside ambush in Mexico. Fellow ICE agent Victor Avila was wounded in the attack.
The DEA believes the recent and sustained violence in Mexico is driven by the proactive actions of Mexico's government against the traffickers, along with other variables, such as cartel on cartel violence. The high level of violence in Mexico unfortunately is an indication of successful law and order campaigns by military and law enforcement officials in Mexico.
In the Newark, N.J., area, authorities on Wednesday arrested at least one person with ties to Mexico's ruthless Zetas drug gang - the same gang believed responsible for the deadly attack on Zapata and Avila - and seized about $1 million they believe was bound for cartel bosses in Mexico. Former Mexican special forces soldiers are among the Zetas' members
The sweep is expected to continue through Friday.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
