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Commercial Bus Companies Smuggling Drugs Through Out the Americas

Indicted for drug trafficking are the ownersalien residing in Brookshire, Texas; Miguel
operators of commercial bus companiesMontemayor, 39, a resident alien residing in
operating from Mexico into the Rio GrandeRoma, Texas; Victor Hinojosa, 41, a resident
Valley to numerous U.S. cities and theiralien residing in Houston; and Eduardo
drivers, have been indicted for transportingTrevino, 40, of Linares, Mexico, as the
large loads of marijuana and cocaine inowners/managers of the various commercial bus
specially modified commercial buses and usingcompanies operating as fronts for
money  laundering  techniques.transporting cocaine and marijuana from
Mexico to various locations in the U.S. in
According to the U.S. government theexchange for cash payments. Â The
indictment, recently unsealed, describes theindictment goes on to say that the amount of
use of specially modified commercial buses bythe payment often depended upon the kind of
alleged drug traffickers interested indrug, the size of the load and its ultimate
smuggling contraband into the United Statesdestination. For example, the indictment
from Monterrey, Mexico, or transportingalleges the defendants charge from $500 per
contraband from the Rio Grande Valley tokilogram of cocaine bound for the U.S. side
Houston and Dallas, Texas; Allentown, Pa.;of the border to $7,000 per kilogram of
Joliet, Ill. and elsewhere. The indictmentcocaine bound for New York. The buses were
alleges the owners or managers of thespecially equipped with hidden compartments
Transtar, Neptune Tours, Los Primos, USA-MEXto conceal loads of contraband from
and Ameri-Mex commercial bus companies, withdetection. According to allegations in the
offices and terminals in Monterrey, Mexicoindictment, the owner/managers discussed ways
and Rio Grande City, Roma, San Antonio andto operate their buses to protect themselves
Houston, Texas, used their various companiesfrom detection by law enforcement including
as a front for their drug transport services,changing the names of the bus companies as
and hired drivers and loaders to transportloads of cocaine and marijuana were seized to
the illegal cargo in hidden compartmentsclaiming the buses were leased to others.
built into the bus or in areas not accessibleAbel Trevino, Montemayor and Hinojosa were
to the public. In exchange for the services,arrested today in Houston. A warrant remains
the indictment alleges the owners/managers ofoutstanding for the arrest of Prado and
the bus companies received thousands ofEduardo  Trevino.
dollars in kickbacks from the proceeds of the
drug loads from which they drew their shareLeticia Enedina Fournier, 58; Guadalupe Karr
and paid the drivers and loaders. AccordingCortez, 47, an illegal alien, Jesse Trevino,
to the indictment, this drug transport48, a resident alien, and Alejandro
service has been in operation since at leastCarmargo-Guerra, 59, a resident alien, all of
November 2001 and is responsible forHouston; Victor Rocha, 39, a resident alien
transporting hundreds of kilograms ofresiding in Dickinson, Texas, and Enrique
cocaine, thousands of pounds of marijuanaAlvaro Saldana, 53, a resident alien residing
from the border to points north and millionsin Roma, Texas, are alleged co-conspirators
of dollars in drug proceeds south to Mexico.hired by the owner/managers as bus drivers
OCEDTF Operation Road King II targeted thisand loaders who were paid by the owners
organization beginning in 2001 and throughmanagers to transport and deliver the drug
the use of tried and true investigativeloads hidden aboard the commercial buses as
techniques, communication, coordination anddirected by the owners/managers. This
cooperation, ultimately established a moremorning, investigating agents arrested
sophisticated undercover operation. ThroughTrevino and Rocha in Houston, Carmargo-Guerra
that undercover operation, more than 570in Waco, Texas, and Cortez in Lake Charles,
kilograms of cocaine, 3,000 plus pounds ofLa. Warrants remain outstanding for the
marijuana and the thousands of dollars inarrest  of  Fournier  and  Saldana.
cash have been seized. Additionally, this
multi-agency investigative effort has lead toGuadalupe Castaneda, 46, of Roma, Texas;
arrests in and the seizure of 200 kilogramsEduardo Cirilo, 42, of Pharr, Texas; Eduardo
of cocaine in Allentown and 1,100 pounds ofSalinas, 29, of Mission, Texas; Jose Armando
marijuana in Joliet. Information gatheredMuniz, 33, of Weslaco, Texas; Rafael Armando
through the investigation was shared with lawRamirez, 32, an illegal alien residing in the
enforcement agencies in other U.S. citiesHouston area; Luis Larios, 36, and Robert
including New York, North Carolina, NewSalazar Rivera, 48, both of Monterrey,
Jersey, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida andMexico, are accused of utilizing and paying
Maryland.for the services of the bus companies to
transport loads of cocaine and marijuana to
The indictment is the result of a long-termvarious locations in the United States.
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task ForceEduardo Salinas was arrested this morning in
(OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation RoadMcAllen, Texas, while Cirilo was arrested
King  II.today in Baton Rouge, La. Warrants remain
outstanding for the arrest of Castaneda,
ÂMuniz,  Ramirez,  Larios  and  Rivera.
John P. Walters, the Director of the WhiteAccording to the FBI all 18 defendants are
House Office of National Drug Control Policycharged in the conspiracy to possess with
commented that the positive impact theintent to distribute cocaine and marijuana
coordinated and cooperative effort federal,and face no less than 10 years and a maximum
state and local law enforcement action hasof life imprisonment if convicted. Most of
had on reducing the supply of drugs and thethe defendants are also charged with
concomitant reduction in demand isconspiracy to launder drug proceeds and face
impressive.a maximum of 20 years imprisonment if
convicted. The remaining 14 counts of the
Special Agent in Charge Andrew Bland of FBIindictment charge various defendants with
Houston, together with Special Agent inaiding and abetting the possession with
Charge Zoran B. Yankovich of DEA Houston,intent to distribute varying amounts of
recognized their law enforcement colleagueseither cocaine for marijuana and face
in the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areapunishment ranges upon conviction from a
Task Force (HIDTA) which, in this case,maximum of five years imprisonment to life
included the Houston Police Department,imprisonment and millions of dollars in
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE),fines.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) forThe indictment also serves notice on the
their long-standing commitment anddefendants of the intent of the United States
outstanding contributions to this OCDETFto forfeit their interests in a number of
investigation. The U.S. Marshals Service,real properties located in east Houston,
also a member of HIDTA, was recognized forTexas, which were allegedly used to
its extraordinary efforts during the arrestfacilitate or obtained with proceeds from the
process.crimes  alleged  in  the  indictment.
The U.S. Justice Department indictmentsThis case will be prosecuted by Assistant
identifies Abel Trevino Jr., 43, of Houston;U.S. Attorney Jesse Rodriguez.
Oscar Jaime Garcia Prado, 42, a resident



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