Miguel Caro Quintero
Encyclopedia
Miguel Angel Caro Quintero was born in La Noria, Badiraguato Sinaloa, Mexico
, in 1963. Caro Quintero is believed to have been one of the leaders of the now extinct Sonora Cartel
.
Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) states Caro Quintero created the Sonora Cartel from remnants of the Guadalajara Cartel
, which was co-founded by his brother Rafael Caro Quintero
. Rafael Caro Quintero was arrested in Costa Rica in 1985 in connection with the torture and death of DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar
.
In 1989 Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo
was arrested, causing the splintering of the Guadalajara Cartel
into the Sinaloa Cartel
, Tijuana Cartel
and Sonora Cartel
.
, he was found not guilty, which the DEA attributes to the use of threats and bribes by Caro Quintero. While imprisoned, it is believed Caro-Quintero is still running the Sonora Cartel, where he is being held on charges of racketeering, drug smuggling and money laundering
. Caro Quintero was arrested in December 2001 in Los Mochis
, Sinaloa
. Prior to his arrest he has repeatedly stated he is innocent of the charges and has accused the DEA of pursuing a vendetta against him for his brother Rafael Caro Quintero
's, alleged role in the death of DEA Special Agent Enrique Camarena. Miguel Caro Quintero is noted as having called into a radio station to profess his innocence, stating: "If I had a cartel, I'd have a lot of money and my brother wouldn't be there (in jail)"; he claimed to be an innocent rancher. He further stated he does not believe his brother was involved in the killing of the DEA agent.
Miguel Caro Quintero was arrested in Mexico in 2001 and charged with smuggling cocaine
and marijuana into the U.S. for over 10 years. He was extradited to the U.S. on February 25, 2009. After his indictment Miguel Angel admitted trafficking more than 100 tons of marijuana, and sending more than $100 million to Mexico. Miguel Angel Caro Quintero pleaded guilty and he was sentenced on February 4, 2010 in Denver to 17 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute marijuana in Arizona and racketeering.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, in 1963. Caro Quintero is believed to have been one of the leaders of the now extinct 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....
.
Sonora Cartel
The United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Drug Enforcement Administration
Drug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
(DEA) states Caro Quintero created the Sonora Cartel from remnants of the 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...
, which was co-founded by his brother Rafael Caro Quintero
Rafael Caro Quintero
Rafael Caro Quintero is an incarcerated Mexican drug lord born in La Noria, Badiraguato, Sinaloa. Quintero was a co-founder, with Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, of the Guadalajara Cartel and Sonora Cartel. Upon of the cartels' disintegration, its leaders were incorporated mostly into the Tijuana...
. Rafael Caro Quintero was arrested in Costa Rica in 1985 in connection with the torture and death of DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar
Enrique Camarena
Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar (Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico July 26, 1947 - c. (Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, February 9, 1985) was an undercover agent for the United States Drug Enforcement Administration who was abducted on...
.
In 1989 Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo
Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo
Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo is a convicted Mexican drug lord known as "El Padrino" who in the 1980s formed the Guadalajara Cartel and became the first drug czar in Mexico to control all illegal drug traffic in Mexico and the corridors along the Mexico-U.S.A...
was arrested, causing the splintering of the 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...
into 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...
, Tijuana Cartel
Tijuana Cartel
The Tijuana Cartel is a Mexican drug cartel based in Tijuana. The cartel has been described as "one of the biggest and most violent criminal groups in Mexico"...
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....
.
Arrest
Caro Quintero was previously arrested in 1992 on charges of tax evasionTax evasion
Tax evasion is the general term for efforts by individuals, corporations, trusts and other entities to evade taxes by illegal means. Tax evasion usually entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting or concealing the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability,...
, he was found not guilty, which the DEA attributes to the use of threats and bribes by Caro Quintero. While imprisoned, it is believed Caro-Quintero is still running the Sonora Cartel, where he is being held on charges of racketeering, drug smuggling 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...
. Caro Quintero was arrested in December 2001 in Los Mochis
Los Mochis
Los Mochis is a coastal city in northern Sinaloa, Mexico. It serves as the municipal seat of the municipality of Ahome. As of the 2010 census, the population was 256,613, which was 61 percent of the municipality's population....
, Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
. Prior to his arrest he has repeatedly stated he is innocent of the charges and has accused the DEA of pursuing a vendetta against him for his brother Rafael Caro Quintero
Rafael Caro Quintero
Rafael Caro Quintero is an incarcerated Mexican drug lord born in La Noria, Badiraguato, Sinaloa. Quintero was a co-founder, with Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, of the Guadalajara Cartel and Sonora Cartel. Upon of the cartels' disintegration, its leaders were incorporated mostly into the Tijuana...
's, alleged role in the death of DEA Special Agent Enrique Camarena. Miguel Caro Quintero is noted as having called into a radio station to profess his innocence, stating: "If I had a cartel, I'd have a lot of money and my brother wouldn't be there (in jail)"; he claimed to be an innocent rancher. He further stated he does not believe his brother was involved in the killing of the DEA agent.
Miguel Caro Quintero was arrested in Mexico in 2001 and charged with smuggling cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and marijuana into the U.S. for over 10 years. He was extradited to the U.S. on February 25, 2009. After his indictment Miguel Angel admitted trafficking more than 100 tons of marijuana, and sending more than $100 million to Mexico. Miguel Angel Caro Quintero pleaded guilty and he was sentenced on February 4, 2010 in Denver to 17 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute marijuana in Arizona and racketeering.
See also
- 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...
- Guadalajara CartelGuadalajara CartelThe 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...
- Sonora CartelSonora CartelThe 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....
- Sinaloa CartelSinaloa CartelThe 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...
- Tijuana CartelTijuana CartelThe Tijuana Cartel is a Mexican drug cartel based in Tijuana. The cartel has been described as "one of the biggest and most violent criminal groups in Mexico"...
- La Familia CartelLa Familia Michoacana (drug cartel)La Familia Michoacana, La Familia , or LFM was a Mexican drug cartel and an organized crime syndicate based in the Mexican state of Michoacán...
- Gulf CartelGulf CartelThe Gulf Cartel is one of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico, and perhaps the oldest organized crime group in the country...