Francisco Javier Arellano Félix
Francisco Javier Arellano Félix (born 11 December 1969) is a former Mexican drug lord who alongside his brothers founded and led the Tijuana Cartel (a.k.a. the Arellano-Félix Organization) until his capture by the Coast Guard on August 16, 2006.
The Tijuana Cartel used to be one of the largest Mexican drug cartels. It is well known for its employment of enforcers recruited from Mexican and San Diego street gangs. In addition to enforcers, many Latin American street gangsters were trained to become **ins in the cartel, which has a reputation for extreme brutality and violence. At its height in the late 1990s, the cartel was believed to be responsible for supplying nearly half the cocaine sold in the United States.
The gang made headlines in January 2006 after it was discovered they had dug tunnels from Tijuana, Baja California, into the United States at Otay Mesa, California.
Contents
- 1 Kingpin Act sanction
- 2 Capture and prosecution
- 3 See also
- 4 References
- 5 External links
Kingpin Act sanction
On 1 June 2004, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned Arellano Félix under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (sometimes referred to simply as the "Kingpin Act"), for his involvement in drug trafficking along with nine other international criminals and two en*ies. The act prohibited U.S. citizens and companies from doing any kind of business activity with him, and virtually froze all his *ets in the U.S.
Capture and prosecution
Arellano Félix, nicknamed "El Tigrillo" (Little Tiger) and also "El *i", was captured by the Coast Guardsmen aboard the USCGC Monsoon on August 16, 2006, while fishing on the Dock Holiday some 25:km off the coast of Baja California Sur, in international waters. Arellano was brought into United States Coast Guard Sector San Diego by USCG Cutter Petrel, commanded by Master Chief Petty Officer M. Martin. The Drug Enforcement Administration had received a tip about his whereabouts. A US$5 million bounty had been offered for his capture, but the information leading to his capture was apparently not from someone seeking the reward. On November 5, 2007, he was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty in September 2007 to running a criminal enterprise and laundering money. According to his lawyer there have been preparations to send him to the supermax ADX Florence, but the final decision where he will be housed rests with the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BoP).
In June 2015, Arellano Félix's sentence was reduced to 23+1⁄2 years for cooperation with authorities during his incarceration. It is likely he will be released on January 2030, but the date number rests with the Bureau of Prisons and he is remained in what the Marshals keep a secret but it is implied he might still be at ADX Florence.
See also
- Mexican Drug War
- Tijuana Cartel
- Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo
- List of crime bosses convicted in the 21st century
- Ramón Arellano Félix
References
External links
- Michael J. Sniffen (2006-08-16). "Feds Arrest Mexican Drug Kingpin". Fox News. Retrieved 2013-07-03.
- Sam Enriquez and Greg Krikorian (2006-08-17). "U.S. Authorities Take Custody of Drug Kingpin". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2013-07-03. Retrieved 2013-07-03.