Mexican Drug Cartels Seize Texas Ranches: No Official Verification, Location Near International Bridge, News the Press Hasn’t Reported-UPDATED

State Dept. ordered family members of U.S. Consulate employees along Mexican border to leave Mexico, July 15

Information about two reported ranches outside of Laredo TX being taken over by the los Zetas cartel is still sketchy. What we know at this time.

UPDATES at END of piece.

While there’s still no official verification two South Texas ranches near Laredo were seized by members of the Mexican drug cartel, Los Zetas, with American authorities engaged in an operation or “standoff” with the Mexican drug cartel, we’ve discovered several details which we believe are relevant to this story.

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ALSO at DBKP:
*** 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!
* – The more stars, the more recent the story/updates.

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We found news which was reported on the internet related to Mexican drug cartels and the federal government. News which came in the form of an announcement from the DEA, Attorney General Eric Holder, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The announcement:

WASHINGTON – / N2N /- Assistant Secretary John Morton of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Attorney General Eric Holder, acting Administrator Michele M. Leonhart of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Assistant Director Kevin L. Perkins of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division announced the arrest of more than 2,200 individuals on narcotics-related charges in the United States and the seizure of more than 74.1 tons of illegal drugs as part of a 22-month, multi-agency law enforcement investigation known as “Project Deliverance.”

On June 9, 429 individuals in 16 states were arrested as part of Project Deliverance, which targeted the transportation infrastructure of Mexican drug trafficking organizations in the United States, especially along the Southwest border, through coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement. More than 3,000 agents and officers operated across the United States to make the arrests. Law enforcement agents also seized $5.8 million in U.S. currency, 2,951 pounds of marijuana, 112 kilograms of cocaine, 17 pounds of methamphetamine, 141 weapons and 85 vehicles.

What’s important to note about the ICE, DEA, and Attorney General’s Office announcement is that the public learned of the thousands of arrests and numerous seizures after the fact, and, not from the press.

A few details about what is allegedly occurring along the border west-northwest of Laredo:

According to the site Diggers Realm, they were given the tip about the story from Jeff Schwilk, founder of the San Diego Minutemen. Diggers Realm reported they’d confirmed the story from a second source within the Laredo Police Department.

When we contacted the Laredo Police Department earlier this evening, the spokesperson for the Chief of Police wouldn’t deny or confirm the story, telling DBKP:

“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

According to an article published by Examiner.com’s Kimberly Dvorak, a highly reputable reporter, Dvorak confirmed the story using three separate sources in “law enforcement” including one at the scene who Dvorak quoted as saying “We consider this an act of war”.

Dvorak:

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.

The approximate location of the U.S. ranches are10 miles northwest of I-35 off Mines Road and Minerales Annex Road. Just off 1472 (Mines road) near Santa Isabel Creek north of the city of Laredo, Texas.

Using Bing Maps, we found the location.

Minerales Annex Rd where it intersects Mines Rd. The “1″ on the map: Where Santa Isabel Creek runs into the Rio Grande River

A location less than nine miles from the Colombia-Solidarity International Bridge.

A second map shows a wider view of the location.

While everyone is waiting for verification from official sources whether a Mexican cartel seized two South Texas ranches, we’ve discovered other news related to the area, including the international bridge located nine miles from the purported vicinity of where the two Texas ranches were allegedly seized by members of the Los Zetas drug cartel. According to a travel web site, Flight Stats, on July 20th the U.S.
Consulate issued a travel warning relating to the bridge.

U.S. Consulate General Nuevo Laredo released the following Warden Message on July 20, 2010:

The U.S. Consulate General advises all U.S. Citizens in the area that all American employees of the U.S. Consulate General in Nuevo Laredo are currently prohibited from transiting Highway 2 (Riberena) east of Nuevo Laredo between the Mexican Federal Highway 85 (Carretera Nacional)cloverleaf and Reynosa, and also west of Nuevo Laredo between the Colombia-Solidarity International Bridge and Ciudad Acuna due to ongoing concerns of violence along this highway. U.S. citizens should consider alternate routes or delaying travel on this section of road.

On July 16th, this bit of news relating to Nuevo Laredo was reported by the U.S Government Consulate website:

July 16, 2010

Warden Message

We have received credible reports of widespread violence occurring now between narcotics trafficking organizations and the Mexican Army in Nuevo Laredo. We have credible reports of grenades being used. The narcotics traffickers have reportedly blocked at least one major avenue, Lopez de Lara, and are carjacking vehicles. Other roads may also be blocked by narcotics traffickers.

We advise all U.S. citizens in Nuevo Laredo to remain indoors until the security situation improves.

The U.S Government Consulate website where everyone reads the news (sarcasm) reported on July 21st:

July 21, 2010

Warden Message July 21, 2010
Urgent: Reports of Gun Battles in Nuevo Laredo

The U.S. Consulate General has received reports of ongoing gun battles near the International Bridge 2 in the Colonia Victoria and Viveros areas of town. There are reports of the gun battles now moving into other parts of the city at this time and all U.S. citizens are advised to shelter in place until further notice.

Another Travel Warning, this time from the State Department prohibiting U.S. Mission employees and their families from traveling by vehicle into Mexico.

Part of the warning included the news our government had authorized the departure of family members of U.S. government personnel from U.S. Consulates in the northern Mexico border cities of Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros. In short, our government ordered family members of U.S. government personnel from U.S. Consulates along the border of Mexico to leave Mexico.

July 15 – Warden Message – Travel Warning

Warden Message – July 15

The Department of State has issued a revised Travel Warning for Mexico. The Travel Warning includes reference to a change in the previously-announced restriction on cross-border travel by U.S. Mission personnel.

Effective July 15, 2010, Mission employees and their families may not travel by vehicle across the U.S.-Mexico border on official travel to or from any post in the interior of Mexico due to security concerns on roads leading to and from that area. U.S. citizens are urged to read the entire Travel Warning that follows below.

And,

July 15, 2010

The Department of State has issued this Travel Warning to inform U.S. citizens traveling to and living in Mexico about the security situation in Mexico, and to advise that the authorized departure of family members of U.S. government personnel from U.S. Consulates in the northern Mexico border cities of Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros has been extended. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning for Mexico dated May 6, 2010 to note the extension of authorized departure and to update guidance on security conditions and crime.

On July 23rd, CNN reported part of the travel warning including:

State Department renews travel warning to Mexico

In addition, the authorized departure of family members of U.S. government personnel from consulates in the cities of Tijuana, Nogales, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey and Matamoros remains in place.

CNN reported the travel warning and the authorized departure of family members of U.S. government personnel from U.S. Consulates. While CNN published the warning they didn’t focus on the authorized departure of family members. Should CNN have pointed out, in their report, family members of U.S. government personnel were, essentially, ordered to leave Mexico?

More news from the State Department:

Much of the country’s narcotics-related violence has occurred in the northern border region. For example, since 2006, three times as many people have been murdered in Ciudad Juarez, in the state of Chihuahua, across from El Paso, Texas, than in any other city in Mexico. More than half of all Americans killed in Mexico in FY 2009 whose deaths were reported to the U.S. Embassy were killed in the border cities of Ciudad Juarez and Tijuana. The situation in northern Mexico remains fluid; the location and timing of future armed engagements cannot be predicted. U.S. citizens are urged to exercise extreme caution when traveling throughout the region, particularly in those areas specifically mentioned in this Travel Warning. Since 2006, large firefights have taken place in towns and cities in many parts of Mexico, often in broad daylight on streets and other public venues. Such firefights have occurred mostly in northern Mexico, including Ciudad Juarez, Tijuana, Chihuahua City, Nogales, Nuevo Laredo, Piedras Negras, Reynosa, Matamoros and Monterrey. Firefights have also occurred in Nayarit, Jalisco and Colima. During some of these incidents, U.S. citizens have been trapped and temporarily prevented from leaving the area.

For info on the Feds investigation of Mexican military helicopters sighted near Laredo on the American side of the border see Mexican Drug Cartel Seize Texas Ranches; Laredo Police: We Can’t Say Anything!.

For info on the discovery of Mexican drug cartels operating para-military training camps “just a few miles” from the Texas border” near the location of the alleged Mexican drug cartel seizes Texas ranches see Mexican Drug Cartel Seizes Two Texas Ranches: 2005 Department of Justice Intelligence Bulletin Warned Local Authorities in CA, AZ about Los Zetas Drug Cartel.

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The Laredo Times reports what it knows accurately, Officials know nothing of rumored Zeta standoff on Mines Road.

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.

This turned into The Laredo Morning Times dumps all over this false alarm as well. Readers can read the LT article and decide for themselves.

In addition, the -ER* Corollary to Godwin’s Law has now been officially invoked to tamp down discussion, with the addition of “Laredo Truthers” being trotted out less than 24 hours after the first report was published.

* – That is, add “-er” to the issue at hand (truther, birther) and you trump your opponent by rendering his argument irredeemable.

As we’ve noted, we are not outside of Laredo ourselves, but the story most certainly is not disproved, for many of the reasons listed below.

LATE ADDITION: From the link above:

If there is any truth at all to this story, there will be several simple, easily discoverable facts.

* What are the names and exact addresses of the ranches that were taken over?
* What are the names of the ranchers and families that were displaced?

Which are all good points–which we’ll report when and if available. As we will report if the story is a hoax.

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WHY WE’RE REPORTING THIS STORY

• We believe the original sources for this story. Kimberly Dvorak, Examiner & source for Big Government, in particular, said that she stands “adamantly” behind this story. She has, in our judgment, credible sources. Digger, of Digger’s Realm, is also careful in his reporting. When he confirmed his initial source, he took his caveats off the story and expanded it.
• Officials we talked to did not deny the story. They said repeatedly “can’t confirm” and “can’t say anything.” That is not a denial.
• Other local sources we’ve talked to did not deny the story.
• This reportedly started late in the evening of July 22. If the story was an Internet hoax, police would have been able to clearly deny it today. When questioned six times on the events, at no time did anyone say to me, “This did not happen.”
• The location of the ranches was described as “”near Mines Rd. and Minerales Annex Rd about 10 miles NW of I-35, near Santa Isabelle Creek.” Some are saying that because “Minerales Annex Rd” is not on Google Maps, the story is a hoax. We can vouch that Minerales Annex Rd is not on Google Maps. It is, however, on Bing–and it is exactly where Digger’s source says it to be.
• One source checked out the Google Map location for us that was originally provided on Diggers Realm. Digger had the description right; he had his placement on Google Maps wrong. He placed the maps near the Pinto Valley Industrial Park. In fact, they are south of there and about 9 miles away from the Columbia Solidarity International Bridge over the Rio Grande.
• We talked to others in the local area and, although of course we can’t report what was said off the record, we have reason to believe that there’s more to this story.
• The primary reason we are reporting this is because there is something to report it. We’ve labeled what information we have, where it came from and why we think it is important; some readers may disagree. That’s okay, at least they have the information and can make their own decisions on how valid it is. If we get confirmation, we’ll report it. If it’s a hoax, we’ll report that also.

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Kimberly Dvorak, Examiner: Los Zetas drug cartel seizes 2 U.S. ranches in Texas takes the lead in this story, absent evidence to the contrary.

Pat Dollard: 4 NEW SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATES – Breaking, Urgent, Reports: INSURGENTS SEIZE TWO RANCHES IN LAREDO, TEXAS

Kimberly is adamantly standing by her story, and gave me the name of one of her three sources inside both the Laredo Police and Webb County Sheriff’s Departments. She says two of those sources not only confirmed the story of the ranches being seized, but elaborated in great detail on what was happening. She also has other sources on the ground, non-law enforcement. She is mid-stream in developing and further reporting the whole story, and has reason reason to believe that law enforcement is in mid-operation on the ranches, and do not want that operation interrupted with publicity before they are finished.

Given the shootout that occurred on the 22nd, it would also make some sense that the ranches were simply occupied as safe havens by retreating Zeta gunman.

WHAT WE KNOW FOR SURE:

* A few people are reporting this story and are standing by their sources. We are inclined to stand by those people as we’ve found them to be trustworthy in the past. We don’t know their sources, but trust their judgment.

* Very little specifics are known outside of the reported location, which is shown on the maps above. The area is approximately 9 miles from the Columbia Solidarity International Bridge. There has been an alert of cartel violence in that area before this story.

* A lockdown across the river in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, has resulted from the Mexican military’s clashes with reportedly up to 1000 members of Los Zetas. Clashes featuring automatic weapons, grenades and a variety of other weapons have been reported in the media and the U.S. Consulate advised Americans to stay indoors and not to attempt to come to see them.

* It’s been reported that most Mexican businesses in Nuevo Laredo remained closed Saturday due to fears from the escalating violence.

* We know that in multiple phone conversations with police and others in Laredo yesterday, we were not told that this story did not happen. We did get plenty of “can’t confirm.”

* We have no pictures and have talked to no one who has an eye witness account of events that may or may not have happened.

* We have been told by several sources to expect more news on this story today.

* No new wire has reported this story; however, wire stories are generally generated from a local source. The local source, the Laredo Morning Times, has reported that local police have said they either “have not heard” or “can’t confirm” the story.

That’s where we stand until more information comes in, either to prove or disprove the story.

UPDATE: 1320 EDT–Latest update from Pat Dollard, 5th SATURDAY NIGHT UPDATE ADDED, MORE COMING – Breaking, Urgent, Reports: INSURGENTS SEIZE TWO RANCHES IN LAREDO, TEXAS:

UPDATE 5: Spoke to Kimberly again tonight, at 9:54 P.M. PST, for 10 minutes and 4 seconds, and not only does she continue to stand by her original story, she claims to have advanced it further, and has given me more information, including her claim that she has learned that this is not an unprecedented event. The rest, I have agreed to keep confidential. According to her, she will have an update in the morning. In blunt, plain-spoken English: either this story is true, or this woman is in need of urgent psychological care.

We’re working on two new posts on this subject, out later sometime this afternoon.

One is “Stories of drug cartel violence confirmed and reported in local media that weren’t picked up by the MSM.”

UPDATE #2: Cypruss Times stays on the story.

LOS ZETAS TAKES OVER TEXAS RANCHES, NOT A PEEP FROM MSM :

If we, in the internet space, are to be different from the MSM, we cannot stop the pursuit of a story because of government denials, or simply because the MSM isn’t reporting the story, too.

Sometimes we outside of the MSM have to trust each other, and rely on one another’s integrity. While we are dedicated to our work, we are also outmanned and outgunned by the established news services both locally and nationally.

A local television station in a small town employs dozens of people in order to generate the “news”. A major market television station or newspaper employs hundreds. At a network level the staffing numbers become ridiculous. Yet how often do you see a genuine news story carried by only one mainstream media outlet and not the others?

Does having more feet on the ground make a news organization better? Maybe, but not necessarily. It all gets down to individual work ethic and integrity. Never forget that the entire world of professional journalism was blind to “Watergate” save for two enterprising reporters.

The mainstream media has a “follow the leader” mentality these days as well as a broad and well-documented streak of lazy. If one of their own covers a story they all follow suit in true lemming fashion while claiming to have done it better and faster and first.

Out here in the nether regions of this new burgeoning frontier called citizen journalism, or internet news, or the blogosphere, we have little to no staff, fewer resources, no money and a burning desire to get to the truth; even if the truth is initially denied by government officials, or the MSM. We must rely solely on hard work and integrity; our own, and our compatriots who have grown tired of being force fed what corporate media determines to be “newsworthy”.

Click the link, read the whole piece–and not just because we’re in near-total agreement with the piece’s points.

ALSO: Los Zetas Drug Cartel Seizes Ranches In Texas Not True? Well…….

A fair round-up of what’s known and/or claimed by various reports.

From the comments:

This ranch story makes complete sense. This Los Zetas formation, or whoever the are, most likely retreated across the border in an effort to disengage Mexican Army forces. Using boarders like this is a common tactic among non-state fighting units. I bet they even have a plan for this.

They would anticipate US authorities couldn’t react immediately to the incursion, and all they need is enough time to regroup and disperse back in to Mexico, or Laredo.

These guys will be gone come Sunday.

We’ll only append a “if able” to the commenter’s last sentence.

UPDATE-last: Mexican Drug Cartel Seizes Texas Ranches Update: Los Zetas Plot to Blow up Falcon Dam near Laredo

An incident that occurred in May 2010 that involved a small army of federal and local law enforcement who swarmed the Falcon Dam near Laredo and found the dynamite–after the Los Zetas warned the residents on the Mexican side (with pamphlets and using bullhorns) to evacuate because they were going to blow up the dam.

NOT a word was reported while the incident was unfolding–anywhere.

Local press, authorities and MSM didn’t report on this until June–and Fox News only reported it as part of a routine report on a House Subcomittee hearing. Houston Chronicle joined in three weeks after Fox.

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
Notes: Mondo Frazier
image: Pat Dollard.com

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Tags: Los Zetas, Mexican drug cartel, ranches, Texas, U.S. Consulate warnings