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A leaked Drug Enforcement Administration document has revealed the inner workings of the drug cartel that is responsible for the kidnappings of four Americans, including two who were killed.
The file is labeled ‘sensitive but declassified’ and breaks down the Gulf Cartel leadership structure that is made up by 44 key figures, from its top boss who is currently sitting in a Mexico City prison awaiting extradition to the United States to a councilman who is suspected of smuggling drugs across the United States-Mexico border.
The DEA also identified two individuals who represent the cartel’s interests in Panama and Colombia.
The Gulf Cartel made headlines March 3 when members of its Scorpions Group opened fire on the Americans’ minivan in the middle of a street in the northeastern border city of Matamoros.
A leaked DEA file revealed the Gulf Cartel’s leadership chain. José Alfredo Cárdenas Martínez is identified as the criminal organization’s leader. He was arrested in February 2022 and is currently being held in a Mexico City jail, where he awaits extradition to the United States. José Alberto García Vilano is the cartel’s second high-ranking leader and is said to have been behind the March 3 kidnappings of four Americans, including two who were killed
Latavia McGee and Eric James were rescued by security forces Tuesday morning
Shaeed Woodard and Zindell Brown, two of the Americans kidnapped in Mexico, were found dead Tuesday
A video captured the moment Latavia McGee, who had traveled South Carolina across the border for a tummy tuck, was escorted to a pickup truck by cartel henchmen. The armed men were also seen dumping the bodies of McGee’s cousin, Shaeed Woodward, Eric James and Zindell Brown into the vehicle.
Arely Servando, a Mexican national, was caught in the middle of assault and was killed after she was struck by a stray bullet.
McGee and James were rescued last Tuesday from a stash house, where the dead bodies of Woodward and Brown were recovered.
The DEA identified José ‘El Contador’ Cárdenas as the boss of the Gulf Cartel, an organization that has been around since the 1930s and is based out of northeast state of Tamaulipas.
Mexican authorities have arrested five more people in connection with the brutal kidnapping of four U.S. citizens in Matamoros, Mexico, in which two were murdered
Arely Servando was trapped in the middle of a Gulf Cartel attack on a vehicle with four Americans and was struck by a stray bullet and died in the Mexican border city of Matamoros last Friday
Mexican authorities are offering $2.5 million pesos ($139,192 USD) for information that leads to the whereabouts and/or arrest of José ‘La Kena’ García, who is identified by the DEA as the Gulf Cartel’s second high-ranking leader
According to Mexican authorities, Cárdenas, who was taken into custody on February 27, 2022 in Mexico City and who is expected to be handed over to U.S. authorities, commands ‘The Cyclones’ and ‘The Scorpions,’ two factions which supply military-style power for the cartel throughout the state of Tamaulipas.
In addition, Cárdenas is also behind the movement of drugs and firearms. He is said to have been behind the massacre of 15 people in the Tamaulipas city of Reynosa in June 2021.
The Gulf Cartel’s second high-ranking figure is identified by the DEA as José ‘La Kena’ García and is suspected of being linked to the Americans’ kidnapping.
García reportedly leads ‘The Cyclones,’ a cell that has operated in Matamoros since 2015. The Mexican government is offering a reward for $2.4 million Mexican pesos ($139,192 USD) for information that leads to his whereabouts and/or his arrest.
Lativa ‘Tay’ McGee was found uninjured after she, her cousin and two friends were kidnapped. The mother-of-five was seen without shoes after surviving the tragic incident along with friend Eric Williams who was shot in the left leg
A rumor surfaced online Saturday that he had been killed in a shootout, but authorities had not confirmed as on Monday.
The next leader in line is Armando López, who is labeled by the DEA as being Cárdenas’ security chief. Mexican government records don’t show that there are any warrants issued for his arrest or if he has ever been arrested.
The Gulf Cartel’s leadership tree is rounded out by Alfredo ‘Ardilla’ del Río, who oversees the group’s operations and who is wanted by Mexican authorities, and Gusemindo ‘Gume’ Pérez, who leads the criminal organization’s dealings in the Río Bravo (Rio Grande) region.
The leaked document also revealed that Matamoros city council member Jorge Aguirre Jr. reportedly plays a role in the Mexican cartel’s cocaine smuggling activities to the United States.
Members (pictured) of the Gulf Cartel’s Scorpions Group were abandoned on a Matamoros street and accused by the criminal organization of being behind last Friday’s kidnapping of four Americans
The cartel’s note reads: ‘The Gulf Cartel’s Scorpions Group strongly condemns the events of last Friday, March 3 where unfortunately an ‘innocent’ working mother died and 4 American citizens were ‘kidnapped’ of which 2 died’
At least two Gulf Cartel members are being searched for by the DEA.
Omar ‘Trompas’ Amaro is wanted by the DEA’s Dallas office while the Miami is seeking the arrest of Moises de Dios, who works for the cartel out of the western city of Guadalajara.
At least five cartel members are in custody after Gulf Cartel itself left them tied up in the same Matamoros street where the kidnappings took place.
A photograph showed the suspects lying face down on the pavement and sitting against an SUV with smirks on their faces.
Each suspect is faces 80 years in prison for kidnapping and 60 years for murder if slapped with the highest sentence.
The cartel also left behind a note written in Spanish, apologizing for the killings and claiming they were happy to hand over those responsible.
They claimed the assassins – who were part of the notorious Scorpions Group – operated outside of ‘cartel rules’ and ‘condemn’ the attack.
‘The Gulf Cartel’s Scorpions Group strongly condemns the events of last Friday, March 3 where unfortunately an ‘innocent’ working mother died and 4 American citizens were ‘kidnapped’ of which 2 died,’ the message read.
The criminal organization claimed the suspects acted on their own.
‘And for this reason, we have decided to hand over those involved and directly responsible for the facts who at all times acted under their own determination and indiscipline and against the rules that ‘The CDG’ has always operated, respecting the life and integrity of the innocent,’ the cartel said.
‘The CDG apologizes to Matamoran society, the relatives of Mrs. Arely, the American individuals and families affected.
‘The CDG asks society to be calm because we are committed to not repeating those errors caused by indiscipline and whoever is responsible will pay!!’
