DOJ announces drug charges against Mexico cartel kingpin

Today the Department of Justice announced a sophisticated operation that realizes these fears. US authorities managed to arrest a drug cartel leader and five other figures involved in a drug transport operation. They tried smuggling over 500 kilograms (1100 pounds) of crystal meth into the Miami area.

The press release specifically mentions those arrested planned their route from Mexico to Texas before getting the cargo to Miami. To evade detection: 200 kilos were hidden in concrete tiles. The other 300 dissolved in five-gallon buckets of house paint.

“As the threat of methamphetamine continues to grow in Florida, this was yet another brazen attempt by a highly organized and dangerous foreign criminal group to set up a significant methamphetamine pipeline from Mexico directly into the Miami Metro Area.” said Miami DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis.

The first complaint hits the ringleader and his alleged co-conspirator. Adalberto Fructuoso Comparan-Rodriguez (57) was reportedly the former mayor of Aguililla, Mexico before becoming the alleged leader of the United Cartels. His sidekick is identified as Alfonso Rustrian (34). The pair were arrested in Guatemala back on March 30th.

The four people in the second criminal complaint were arrested in Miami that same day, assuming the roles of henchmen: Adalberto Fructose Comparan-Bedolla (31), Carlos Basauri-Coto (31), Salvador Valdez (34), and Silviano Gonzalez-Aguilar (44).

Both complaints have the same set of charges: drug conspiracy, drug trafficking, drug importation, among others (money laundering is mentioned).