Mexican Drug Cartel Seize Texas Ranches; Laredo Police: We Can’t Say Anything!
Earlier incidents of Mexican military helicopters sighted in South Texas include possibility local authorities were muzzled by higher-ups
“We have been advised to say nothing. The Webb County Sheriff is taking the lead on this and they’re advising that they can’t confirm anything either.”
Laredo Police Department Spokesperson
There’s a story unfolding in South Texas, of a possible hostile takeover of two Texas ranches located near Laredo by a Mexican drug cartel. The source of the story, the site Diggers Realm which posted they’d received a tip-off two Texas ranches located south of Laredo had been seized by a Mexican drug cartel with the ranchers escaping without incident. According to Examiner. com, the local authorities, the Laredo Police Department, won’t officially confirm the story, while officials within the department, under conditions of anonymity, confirmed a Mexican drug cartel hostile takeover of the two Texas ranches with the Laredo Police Department seeking help from the Federal government. DBKP talked with the spokesperson for Chief Carlos Maldonaldo of the Laredo Police Dept. who told us:
“We have been advised to say nothing. The Webb County Sheriff is taking the lead on this and they’re advising that they can’t confirm anything either.”
Why “take the lead” if something hasn’t occurred?
ALSO at DBKP: REPORTS: Texas Ranches Seized by Mexican Drug Cartel; Violence Spills over Southern Border-UPDATE
The spokesperson also told us they’d had “many media inquiries” and that they’ve been advised to “confirm nothing, to say nothing”. When we asked at what time in the future they’d be able to tell us something the spokesperson said “He didn’t know.” One thing’s for certain, if a hostile takeover of two Texas ranches located near Laredo by a Mexican drug cartel didn’t occur last night, by now, the Laredo Police Department should have been able to confirm the story isn’t true.
Based on prior MSM reports of the Feds investigating reports of Mexican military helicopters sighted near Laredo and the report local authorities were “muzzled by higher-up’s”, this latest report of a Mexican drug cartel doing a hostile takeover of two Texas ranches could very well be true.
Here’s part of the report from Diggers Realm:
The bloodbath continues along our southern border and now word is coming in that Los Zetas, the highly trained killers formerly with the Gulf Cartel, have crossed into the United States and taken over at least two ranches in the Laredo, Texas area. I am receiving word that the owners of the ranches have evacuated without being harmed. The source is law enforcement in the area.
(Update 2 story is now 100% confirmed by second source within the Laredo Police Department)
Founder of the San Diego Minutemen Jeff Schwilk tipped me off to this story and passes along the following information on the location. The ranches are said to be “near Mines Rd. and Minerales Annex Rd about 10 miles NW of I-35″.
According Examiner.com, the Mexican drug cartel involved in a hostile takeover of two Texas ranches are the Los Zetas, that there’s a “news blackout” involving the story which is still ongoing.
Two sources inside the Laredo Police Department confirmed the incident is unfolding and they would continue to coordinate with U.S. Border Patrol today. “We consider this an act of war,” said one police officer on the ground near the scene. There is a news blackout of this incident at this time and the sources inside Laredo PD spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Word broke late last night that Laredo police have requested help from the federal government regarding the incursion by the Los Zetas. It appears that the ranch owners have escaped without incident but their ranches remain in the hands of the blood thirsty cartels.
Laredo Border Patrol is conducting aerial surveillance over the ranches to determine the best way to regain control of the U.S. ranches, according to the Laredo Police department.
On April 2nd, 2010, the Houston Chronicle reported the U.S. Department of Defense was investigating a 2nd incident involving Mexican military helicopters sighted in South Texas. According to Chronicle, the first incident, confirmed in March by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, occurred March 9th. According to witnesses, the Mexican military helicopter hovered “as long as 20 minutes” over a residential area located near Lake Falcon which located near Laredo.
BROWNSVILLE — The U.S. Department of Defense said it was investigating the second sighting within three weeks of a Mexican military helicopter flying in U.S. airspace over rural Zapata County.
“The incident did occur and it’s still under investigation,” department spokeswoman Maj. Tanya Bradsher said, confirming that the copter, believed to belong to the Mexican navy, was seen Sunday.
Rick Pauza, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman, earlier in March confirmed a Mexican military helicopter hovered as long as 20 minutes on March 9 over a residential area near Falcon Lake, a reservoir on the Rio Grande.
He said CBP officials who lived in the neighborhood were among those who saw it.
Pauza said the helicopter crossed back without incident and that once the sighting was reported up the chain of the command “that was the extent of it.”
Here’s the part which readers need to pay particular attention to:
Zapata County Sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez said Sunday’s sighting was the second one confirmed, but several others were reported to him during the past two weeks that he couldn’t be sure enough about to forward to the federal government.
Gonzalez said the unconfirmed incursions occurred on March 20 and on Monday and Tuesday and were reported to him by a deputy, a local news reporter, and a federal officer who the sheriff said has since been muzzled by higher-ups.
“I don’t want to get him involved because it sounds like they’re going to fire him for saying the truth,” Gonzalez said of the officer.
According to Gonzalez, he was “initially rebuffed” by federal officials at the Joint Operations Intelligence Center until Gonzalez showed them photos from witnesses and that Gonzalez had a “pretty good idea they were Mexican military operations“.
According to Gonzalez, when he produced the photos, federal officials blamed “faulty radars”. What’s important to note, local authorities being “muzzled by higher-ups” which might be occurring today, in South Texas.
On February 4, 2009, FOX News reported:
In November, along the border with Texas, Mexican authorities arrested drug cartel leader Jaime “el Hummer” Gonzalez Duran — one of the founders of “Los Zetas,” a paramilitary organization of former Mexican soldiers who decided there was more money to be made in selling drugs than in serving in the Mexican military.
As El Hummer was being transported to the airport in an armed vehicle, his fellow cartel members launched a brazen attack against the federales.
They were armed to the teeth. Their arsenal ranged from semi-automatic rifles to rocket-propelled grenades. When the smoke finally cleared and the government had prevailed, Mexican federal agents captured 540 assault rifles, more than 500,000 rounds of ammunition, 150 grenades, 14 cartridges of dynamite, 98 fragmentation grenades, 67 bulletproof vests, seven Barrett .50-caliber sniper rifles and a Light Anti Tank (LAW) rocket.
LATEST: At Big J, more on why we’re waiting out the story: The MSM in the Fog of War: What’s Going On in Laredo, Tex.?
by LBG
[...] UPDATE: We’ve talked to Laredo PD. Full report of what was discussed will be up in minutes. LATEST at DBKP: Mexican Drug Cartel Seize Texas Ranches: Laredo Police: We Can’t Say Anything! [...]
I HAVE A THEORY
about the Laredo thing…. i think it’s a military / local law enforcement training exercise… they are practicing how to respond to a drug cartel “invasion” but they don’t want the public / news to report on it.
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[...] For more details on the purported Los Zeta Mexican drug cartel seizing two South Texas ranches see Mexican Drug Cartel Seize Texas Ranches: Laredo Police: We Can’t Say Anything!. [...]
Officials know nothing of rumored Zeta standoff on Mines Road
By Nick Georgiou
Laredo Morning Times
Published: Saturday, July 24, 2010 5:38 PM CDT
Local law enforcement was bombarded with calls from across the country Saturday asking about a report that the Zetas had taken over two ranches off Mines Road.
But officials with the Laredo Police Department, Webb County Sheriff’s Department and Border Patrol said they knew nothing about such an incident, while Erik Vasys, an FBI spokesman in San Antonio, said the agency does not comment on rumors.
The report, which spread like wildfire among blogs Saturday afternoon, appears to have initially been posted on a blog called Diggers Realm.
The blogger wrote that he got a tip from a San Diego, Calif., minuteman named Jeff Schwilk, who said that the Zetas, former enforcers of the Gulf Cartel, had crossed into the United States and taken over two ranches off Mines Road, about 10 miles northwest of Interstate 35.
Quoting Schwilk, the blogger wrote that there was a standoff between “the unknown size Zeta forces and the U.S. Border Patrol and local law enforcement on two ranches …”
The blogger wrote that the story was confirmed by anonymous sources at LPD.
But Investigator Jose E. Baeza, LPD spokesman, said he had not heard anything about the incident. Also, an LPD sergeant, who was on duty as a watch commander Saturday afternoon, said she had not heard anything about it either.
At about 4:30 p.m., Maru De La Paz, spokeswoman for Webb County Sheriff’s Office, wrote that the report about Zetas taking over ranches in Laredo is not confirmed.
(Nick Georgiou may be reached at 728-2582 or ngeorgiou@lmtonline.com)
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[...] UPDATE II: MM picks it up. Phineas doubts the credibility of the story. But hmmm… [...]
[...] Mexican Drug Cartel Seize Texas Ranches; Laredo Police: We Can’t Say Anything! [...]
[...] DBKP also finds that this is being “covered up” as a news story and has quotes from two local sheriff’s departments who confirm that someone is taking the “lead” on the investigation, but nothing else can be confirmed. What??! [...]
Is this true? If it is true, why the government haven’t done anything with this act of terrorism.
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Brian Reply:
July 25th, 2010 at 03:54
Stephanie, contact me… I have exclusive info about you being hot and me wanting to be your new boyfriend.
Reply
[...] is another source claiming that authorities in Laredo will not confirm or [...]
[...] is another source claiming that authorities in Laredo will not confirm or [...]
I heard it’s all true and the military is secretly sending in Chuck Norris to destroy Los Zebras once and for all. I only hope they don’t target all of the e-porters smashingly successful job of blowing this story wide open by embellishing an email from a minutemen and adding unrelated photos they stole from the internet. Also, a chupacabra has been arrested trying to smuggle Al-Kay-Duh terrorists onto the space shuttle; in a massive terror plot to destroy the moon, thus ruining surfing for everyone.
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[...] REPORTS: Texas Ranches Seized by Mexican Drug Cartel; Violence Spills over Southern Border-UPDATE * Mexican Drug Cartel Seize Texas Ranches; Laredo Police: We Can’t Say Anything! * – The more stars, the more recent the story/updates. We found news which was reported on [...]
[...] “We have been advised to say nothing,” Chief Carlos Maldonaldo of the Laredo Police Dept. told blogger Death By 1,000 Papercuts. “The Webb County Sheriff is taking the lead on this and they’re advising that they can’t [...]
[...] Mexican Drug Cartel Seize Texas Ranches: Laredo Police: We Can't Say Anything! - DBKP – Death By 1000 Papercuts – DBKP [...]
[...] Laredo Police: We Can’t Say Anything! “We have been advised to say nothing. The Webb County Sheriff is taking the lead on this and they’re advising that they can’t confirm anything either.” Laredo Police Department Spokesperson [...]
[...] Further clarification of the non-story is located here [...]
Re: “Earlier incidents of Mexican military helicopters sighted in South Texas include possibility local authorities were muzzled by higher-ups”
I posted on this on July 28, and still haven’t understood why it has not received the attention I thought it would. Maybe it is just me, but I think it is a mind blowing revelation. Sigh.
A Judicial Watch FOIA request found:
“Judicial Watch received records from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) concerning ***Mexican Government incursions*** and encounters along the U.S. border.
76 Mexican Government incursions from January 2008 to December 2009 (data missing from February 2009)
50 Mexican Government incursions in 2008 alone, which is double the number of incursions from the previous year
There were a total of 147 incursions at and between the Ports of Entry for all Customs and Border Protection (CBP) components for FY 2008 when compared to 32 incursions for FY 2007, an increase of 359%.”
http://ironicsurrealism.blogivists.com/2010/06/28/janet-napolitano-border-is-secure-now-as-it-has-ever-been-yet-mexican-government-invasions-rose-in-08-09/
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admin Reply:
July 25th, 2010 at 14:20
IS,
I completely missed your post.
Many thanks for the link!
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velvethammer Reply:
July 25th, 2010 at 16:09
You are welcome. I think it is highly explosive info. not many are aware of. Once or twice would be bad enough, but over 100 invasions on US soil by the MX government, in two years time! That’s insane! And I find it to be very interesting that data from Jan ’09 was missing from the released records. Sloppy work or suspicious? Heh.
BTW I of course meant June 28 not July 28.
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[...] REPORTS: Texas Ranches Seized by Mexican Drug Cartel; Violence Spills over Southern Border-UPDATE * Mexican Drug Cartel Seize Texas Ranches; Laredo Police: We Can’t Say Anything! * – The more stars, the more recent the [...]
Could it be the Mexican military chasing members of the drug cartels?
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[...] Armed with the “facts” the story was pronounced a hoax. A story originally reported by the site Digger’s Realm on July 24th at 4:11 AM. Examiner.com reported on the story on July 24th at 11:18 AM. The conclusions the story is hoax, based on a local media report and phone calls to the local authorities, were made within less than 24 hours after the story originally broke. ALSO at DBKP: * Mexican Drug Cartel Seizes Texas Ranches Update: Los Zetas Plot to Blow up Falcon Dam near Laredo * Mexican Drug Cartels Seize Texas Ranches: No Official Verification, Location Near International Bridge, News the Press Hasn’t Reported * Mexican Drug Cartel Seizes Two Texas Ranches: 2005 Department of Justice Intelligence Bulletin Warned Local Authorities in CA, AZ about Los Zetas Drug Cartel * REPORTS: Texas Ranches Seized by Mexican Drug Cartel; Violence Spills over Southern Border-UPDATE * Mexican Drug Cartel Seize Texas Ranches; Laredo Police: We Can’t Say Anything! [...]
[...] this point, things “took off” as more blogs jumped on the story; a few, myself included, worked the phones, contacting area police and other locals who might possibly confirm the [...]
I’m fairly open-minded about this, know of the Mexican drug and smuggling gangs, etc, but am a bit skeptical that NO evidence, NOTHING at all, has been presented.
Do you have ANYTHING? Anything at all? — names, timeline, pictures, video, audio, specific actions, physical evidence, locations? This makes it hard to have any credibility.
I realize that people’s jobs are at stake, maybe even lives, but if we don’t have something actionable, it’s hard to get any support at all. We are becoming a laughingstock and the credibility of the movemet can be set way back. I can’t believe that no one got out to the site to capture some evidence.
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[...] http://deathby1000papercuts.com/2010/07/mexican-drug-cartel-seize-texas-ranches-laredo-police-we-can... [...]
[...] “We can neither confirm or deny” statement! Translation — the story is true, and we need to massage a few items. By the way, Kimberly [...]
[...] REPORTS: Texas Ranches Seized by Mexican Drug Cartel; Violence Spills over Southern Border-UPDATE * Mexican Drug Cartel Seize Texas Ranches; Laredo Police: We Can’t Say Anything! There is more to come on this story, as we have reported since July [...]
[...] 1-That the incident took place in Webb County, TX outside the city of Laredo beginning on July 23, 2010. 2-That the location of the ranch(es) was on Minerales Annex Road, not Mines Road (Rt. 1472), as some had reported. 3-That officers from various law enforcement organizations responded or were notified. 4-That surveillance of the area was ongoing from July 24 until at least early AM July 26. This last point has not been confirmed yet by public police sources. 5-That members of the Los Zetas drug cartel were involved. 6-That law enforcement were not only aware of Los Zetas involvement, but knew which cars they were likely driving. 7-That law enforcement had not blocked off Mines Road and but were stationed on Minerales Annex Road. 8-From the police report, only one ranch was under surveillance, not two, as originally reported. ALSO at DBKP: * Texas Ranches Seized by Drug Cartel: Story Confirmed * Texas Ranches Seized by Drug Cartel: Update, Latest News * Mexican Military Incursions on the Rise: U.S. Sovereignty Compromised * REPORT: Los Zetas Sleeper Cells Here in USA * Texas Ranches Seized by Drug Cartel: Latest News, Updates * Mexican Drug Cartel Seize South Texas Ranches Update: Story a Hoax? * Mexican Drug Cartel Seizes Texas Ranches Update: Los Zetas Plot to Blow up Falcon Dam near Laredo * Mexican Drug Cartels Seize Texas Ranches: No Official Verification, Location Near International Bridge, News the Press Hasn’t Reported * Mexican Drug Cartel Seizes Two Texas Ranches: 2005 Department of Justice Intelligence Bulletin Warned Local Authorities in CA, AZ about Los Zetas Drug Cartel * REPORTS: Texas Ranches Seized by Mexican Drug Cartel; Violence Spills over Southern Border-UPDATE * Mexican Drug Cartel Seize Texas Ranches; Laredo Police: We Can’t Say Anything! [...]