News

DATE=9/22/1999 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=U-S - MEXICO DRUGS (L-UPDATE) NUMBER=2-254220 BYLINE=GEORGE MEEK DATELINE=WASHINGTON INTERNET=YES CONTENT= VOICED AT: /// EDS: updates long version of CR 2-254215 with new info in penultimate graph /// INTRO: The United States has arrested 93 people in a crackdown on what U.S. officials call one of Mexico's largest drug cartels. V-O-A's George Meek has details. TEXT: Officials in Washington say a two-year investigation dubbed Operation Impunity culminated with the seizure of 20-million dollars in cash, seven- million dollars in other assets, six tons of cocaine and two tons of marijuana. Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Jim Craig says three of the 93 persons arrested were leaders known as "cell heads." /// FIRST CRAIG ACT /// Jesse Quintanilla was arrested in Chicago. Arturo Arredondo was arrested in McAllen (Texas). Jorge Ontiveros Rodriguez was arrested in San Diego. They all are in custody, and they are the three major cell-heads for the United States. /// END ACT /// Mr. Craig says Mr. Ontiveros Rodriguez is a Cuban- American and the other two are U-S citizens of Mexican descent. The targeted cartel was run by Amado Carrillo Fuentes, until his death following plastic surgery two years ago. /// REST OPTIONAL FOR LONG VERSION /// Attorney General Janet Reno says Operation Impunity substantially hindered the cartel's ability to move cocaine and other drugs around the United States. But spokesman Craig of the D-E-A says this does not mean the cartel has been definitively crushed. /// SECOND CRAIG ACT /// The Carrillo Fuentes organization -- even after his death in 1997 -is still alive and well, but somewhat splintered. To say we have taken out the whole cartel, no. But we have taken out a very important organization within the cartel that transported tons of cocaine in the United States. /// END ACT /// Mr. Craig says the United States has asked Mexico to extradite the successor to Carrillo Fuentes -- Roberto Salinas Doria, who is in custody. Acting on a request from the United States, on Wednesday Mexico arrested another alleged leader of the group, Jaime Augilar Gastelum, in the border city of Reynosa. Last year President Clinton expressed regret for not consulting with Mexican authorities before luring alleged Mexican drug-money launderers to the United States, where they were arrested in another investigation called Operation Casablanca. (Signed) NEB/GM/TVM/WTW 22-Sep-1999 17:52 PM EDT (22-Sep-1999 2152 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .