Jesús Amezcua Contreras
Encyclopedia
José de Jesús Amezcua Contreras, along with his brothers Adán
and Luis
, were the leaders of the Colima Cartel
, a Mexican
methamphetamine
and meth-precursor smuggling organization.
The Colima cartel has become a branch of the Sinaloa Cartel
as are the Milenio Cartel
, Guadalajara Cartel
and Sonora Cartel
s.
, by agents from the Mexican counter-narcotics agency, Fiscalía Especial para Atención a los Delitos contra la Salud (FEADS). The Colima Cartel at the time of the arrests of Luis and Jesús was believed to be "the most prominent methamphetamine trafficking organization operating ... as well as the leading supplier of chemicals to other methamphetamine trafficking organizations" Within 9 days of their arrest, the New York Times reported two of the three charges Luis and Jesús Amezcua Contreras were facing were dropped. Judge José Nieves Luna Castro dropped from each, one count of criminal association and money laundering
, saying they had been charged under statutes that were not in effect at the time of their alleged crimes, leaving one remaining charge for each of the brothers.
In May 2002, a federal court blocked the scheduled extradition
of José de Jesús Amezcua to the United States
to face drug trafficking charges because the U.S. extradition request did not comply with Mexico’s requirement that extradited criminals not face the possibility of capital punishment
or a life sentence.
On September 5, 2002, Japan Today
published an article in which the head of the attorney general's organized crime unit (UEDO), José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos
, stated the sisters of the imprisoned Colima Cartel leaders Luis Ignacio, Jesús and Adán Amezcua Contreras had taken over for their brothers.
Adán Amezcua Contreras
Adán Amezcua Contreras, along with his brothers Jesús and Luis, were the leaders of the Colima Cartel, a Mexican methamphetamine and precursor drug smuggling organization.-Arrest:...
and Luis
Luis Amezcua Contreras
Luis Ignacio Amezcua Contreras, along with his brothers Adán and Jesús, were the leaders of the Colima Cartel, A Mexican methamphetamine and precursor drug smuggling organization.-Arrest:...
, were the leaders of the Colima Cartel
Colima Cartel
The Colima Cartel was a Mexican drug trafficking and methamphetamine producing cartel operating out of Guadalajara, Jalisco. It was formerly founded and led by José de Jesús Amezcua Contreras while and supported by his brothers Adán and Luis....
, a Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
and meth-precursor smuggling organization.
The Colima cartel has become a branch of the Sinaloa Cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel is the most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the United States Intelligence Community as "the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world." The Sinaloa Cartel is based in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, but also operates in the Mexican states of Baja...
as are the Milenio Cartel
Milenio Cartel
The Milenio Cartel, or Cártel de los Valencia, was an organized crime gang originally based in Michoacán, Mexico. The group splintered from the Juárez Cartel in 1999 and it is currently operating as a branch of the powerful La Familia Michoacana, and has relocated to Guadalajara city.Luis Valencia...
, Guadalajara Cartel
Guadalajara Cartel
The Guadalajara Cartel was a Mexican drug cartel which was formed in the 1980s by Rafael Caro Quintero, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo and Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo in order to ship heroin and marijuana to the United States...
and Sonora Cartel
Sonora Cartel
The Sonora Cartel, also called the Caro-Quintero Organization, was a Mexico based criminal cartel. Upon of the cartel's disintegration, its leaders were incorporated into the Tijuana Cartel and Sinaloa Cartel....
s.
Arrest
On June 1, 1998, Luis and Jesús Amezcua were arrested in Guadalajara, JaliscoGuadalajara, Jalisco
Guadalajara is the capital of the Mexican state of Jalisco, and the seat of the municipality of Guadalajara. The city is located in the central region of Jalisco in the western-pacific area of Mexico. With a population of 1,564,514 it is Mexico's second most populous municipality...
, by agents from the Mexican counter-narcotics agency, Fiscalía Especial para Atención a los Delitos contra la Salud (FEADS). The Colima Cartel at the time of the arrests of Luis and Jesús was believed to be "the most prominent methamphetamine trafficking organization operating ... as well as the leading supplier of chemicals to other methamphetamine trafficking organizations" Within 9 days of their arrest, the New York Times reported two of the three charges Luis and Jesús Amezcua Contreras were facing were dropped. Judge José Nieves Luna Castro dropped from each, one count of criminal association and money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
, saying they had been charged under statutes that were not in effect at the time of their alleged crimes, leaving one remaining charge for each of the brothers.
In May 2002, a federal court blocked the scheduled extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
of José de Jesús Amezcua to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to face drug trafficking charges because the U.S. extradition request did not comply with Mexico’s requirement that extradited criminals not face the possibility of capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
or a life sentence.
On September 5, 2002, Japan Today
Japan Today
Japan Today is an online newspaper based in Tokyo, Japan. Launched in September 2000 Japan Today publishes original content in English such as interviews and news stories, as well as translations of articles from popular Japanese magazines and newspapers. They are hosted by GPlus Media Co. Ltd....
published an article in which the head of the attorney general's organized crime unit (UEDO), José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos
José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos
José Luis Santiago Vasconcelos was a Mexican lawyer and civil servant.Santiago Vasconcelos, a native of Mexico City, earned a law degree at the National Autonomous University of Mexico . In 1993 he began working for the office of the federal Attorney-General , in the drug-trafficking control area...
, stated the sisters of the imprisoned Colima Cartel leaders Luis Ignacio, Jesús and Adán Amezcua Contreras had taken over for their brothers.
See also
- Illegal drug tradeIllegal drug tradeThe illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
- Mexican Drug WarMexican Drug WarThe Mexican Drug War is an ongoing armed conflict taking place among rival drug cartels who fight each other for regional control, and Mexican government forces who seek to combat drug trafficking. However, the government's principal goal has been to put down the drug-related violence that was...
- Merida InitiativeMérida InitiativeThe Mérida Initiative is a security cooperation agreement between the United States and the government of Mexico and the countries of Central America, with the declared aim of combating the threats of drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and money laundering...
- United States - Mexico border