Local law enforcement to get drug money

Local law enforcement to get drug money
January 11, 2012 9:45 PM
By LAURA B. MARTINEZ/The Brownsville Herald

The two U.S. senators from Texas are reporting that 12 South Texas law enforcement agencies — including three in Cameron County – will receive drug money seized from the Osiel Cárdenas Guillén drug operation.

Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn state that 12 agencies will split $30 million in seized drug money that the U.S. Department of Treasury is going to release from the 2008 “Los Cazadores” operation.

The Brownsville Police Department, Cameron County District Attorney’s Office and the Cameron County Sheriff’s Department are three of the agencies named to receive some of the money.

Other agencies are the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Department; the HIDTA Taskforce; and the police departments in McAllen, Mission, Palmview, Pharr and San Juan police. Also named are the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard Joint Counterdrug TaskForce.

“This case is a reflection of unified law enforcement efforts at the local, state and federal levels to fight drug-trafficking organizations,” McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez said.

“With these confiscated funds, agencies will be able to enhance their capacities to fight crime and in turn make their communities safer,” he added.

It was not immediately known how much money each agency would receive.

“We’ve worked diligently to ensure that the Department of Justice and the Treasury Department follow through on their promise to release these seized funds to the local law enforcement agencies who participated in this important investigation by collaborating with federal officials and ensuring success,” Hutchison said in a press release.

Cárdenas-Guillén, once the head of the Gulf Cartel, was sentenced in 2010 in Houston federal court during a closed hearing. He pleaded guilty to five counts, including drug charges. In exchange, prosecutors dropped 12 other counts he faced.

Cárdenas Guillén forfeited $50 million in cash and goods as part of a judgment, public records show. Some $30 million in cash and assets were also seized.

“The seizure was the result of cooperation, perseverance and good old-fashioned police work, and I commend these agencies for working together to fight drug trafficking in South Texas,” Cornyn said.

Lmartinez@brownsvilleherald.com
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/law-135733-texas-enforcement.html