Sinaloa: 2 bodies discovered in torched van may be missing Australian surfers

Lucio R. Borderland Beat

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Lucas and Cox

On November 21, there was a report in local media that at around 10:30am In the vicinity of Juan Aldama (El Tigre) Navolato, around 10:30 am, a van was discovered torched to complete destruction and inside were two deceased persons.

At the time other than the vehicle being a Chevrolet step up van without license plates, officials said it was unknown how the event occurred or the identification of the victims.

Inside the van was found a grill and canned food, speculation and rumor replaced solid facts and information. It wasn’t until five days later that Mexican authorities pooled facts together and concluded the victims found in the van were most likely Australian natives, Canadian residents Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman, both 33, travelling in Mexico on a surfing trip and to visit friends.

Last heard from the day before the discovery

On the day prior two Edmonton Canada residents who went on a road trip to Mexico to surf and visit friends were last heard from and now are feared missing or worse after family lost contact with them for over a week now.

Dean Lucas and Adam Coleman, both Australian nationals who have lived in Edmonton during the summer construction season for the past several years, left for Mexico in a 1992 Chevrolet van on Sept. 28 from Alberta.

“They’re incredibly keen surfers, very talented surfers. They love finding waves all around the world … I know they’ll be trying to find random waves. But I don’t think that’s what they were doing,” said Lucas’s girlfriend Josie Cox, from Edmonton, on Saturday. “I think they were trying to make their way to Guadalajara, like they planned.” Cox was meeting Lucas in Guadalajara.

Coleman and Gomez

Both men are experienced travelers who have been to Mexico multiple times and speak Spanish.

The men remained in contact with their friends in Edmonton via text, email, and Facebook as they travelled through the United States and into Mexico. But Cox says the last day she heard from Lucas was Nov. 20, the day of their three-year-anniversary, and the day before the Chevi Van was found with the two bodies in Sinaloa.

The men were boarded a ferry from La Paz to Topolobampo, then were scheduled to drive to Guadalajara, arriving on Nov. 21. Lucas assured his girlfriend he would have an Internet connection once he reached the big city. Mr Coleman’s girlfriend Andrea Gomez, of Guadalajara, was expecting her boyfriend on the 21^st.

“They’re such good guys and such good people and they’re really respectful of us and their family …. I definitely don’t doubt that something has happened, something that we should be worried about, which is exactly why I’m here,” said Cox, about her public campaign to find the men.

Cox has been trying to spread the word through Facebook, Twitter, and other media to glean more information. She flew to Guadalajara on Sunday.

“If (anyone) has any information, I would really encourage them, if they want to be anonymous, to contact the (Australian) embassy (in Mexico) or myself. I’m on Facebook (link to her FB page here) and any lead that we get, we’re following up, even if we don’t think it’s completely relevant,” she said. “I’m happy to sit there all night, 24 hours a day on my laptop, answering queries, and following things up, and calling people, if that’s what it needs.”

At the Edmonton airport Sunday, waiting to board the Mexico bound aircraft, Ms. Cox posted this face book message:

Friends of Lucas and Coleman have most recently been hit with the report from a Mexican news agency that a burnt-out van with two bodies had been found in Sinaloa state. The story said that authorities are investigating and that it appears the van had been used as a camper.

But Cox stressed there is no confirmed connection between the Australians and the news story. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade could not be reached on Saturday to confirm their involvement in the search for Lucas and Coleman.

The men grew up together in Australia and have both been travelling the world for years. Coleman started working the construction season in Edmonton four years ago, but would travel to warmer spots in the off-season. Two years ago, his friend Lucas joined him for the Edmonton construction season.

Cox, who is British, has known Lucas since 2012, when they met in India. They stayed in touch that year, and eventually met up again — in Mexico.

“Dean is shy, he takes a step back… he’s a listener. He’s really calm, very sensible in situations like this. He likes to have a good time but he has a good head on his shoulders and a really good upbringing,” Cox said of her boyfriend, who is 33.

His friend, Coleman, is “the complete opposite, in a good way,” Cox said. “He’s the life of the party, he makes everyone laugh. His stories are unbelievable — literally unbelievable sometimes… They really are a good match, this is why they’re good friends.”

Coleman's mother seems to have given up all hope as she posted this message on Facebook

The friends set out in a van they had refurbished for the cross-continent trip. They put on new tires, outfitted the van with a kitchen, and had it insured with Alberta license plates. It had a distinctive red replacement door that friends teased them would make the van impossible to sell again.

It was the first time Coleman, 33, had owned a vehicle.

“He’s always been a traveler and surfer and skateboarder,” said friend Chris Coutu, on Saturday.

Adam and his mother Zena 1 yr ago

The last text that Lucas sent to his friend Taylor Holbrook was to ask a favor, to buy flowers and chocolate for his girlfriend in Edmonton. Canadian news outlets report Lucas had intended to propose to Cox when together next.

“We are in La Paz in Baja about to get the ferry over to the mainland,” Lucas wrote. “Mate, can you do me a huge favor if you are seeing Josie tomorrow… if by any chance you are seeing her and are passing a store, I would be incredibly grateful if you could pick her up choc. and flowers?… Wish ya were here with the boys in the van — grubby desert living with fun as waves!!”

Ms Gomez said her partner was planning to move to Mexico and she had been looking forward to reuniting with him after three months apart. She said she had been left heartbroken and her “soul was shattered”.

“My soul is shattered,” she says while hanging on to hope, “this event will completely change my life,” she said.

Mexican authorities are conducting DNA studies for a positive identification of the bodies. Ms. Gomez gave a lock of Coleman’s dreadlock styled hair to Mexican authorities, for DNA studies.

Material used to write this post is from: BB's "Canadiana", and "Choco", National Post, Sydney Herald, El Debate, Perth Now

Narco Manta from El Toro "Proves" CDG has infiltrated armed forces

Lucio R, Borderland Beat-material from forum Ed Oak and Bjeff, Menytimes, VXT BB archive

A narco manta (message on banner) was hung yesterday addressed to:

President Enrique Peña Nieto, Tamaulipas Governor Egidio Torre and Mayor of Reynosa, Pepe Elias. The message blames federal and state authorities specifically SEDENA, as being responsible for a crash that killed 4 civilians including an infant.

Late Tuesday night in downtown Reynosa, an armored Military vehicle was involved in a shootout/chase involving a Chevy Cheyenne. According to Valor por Tamaulipas, during the pursuit - going against traffic (sentido contrario) - another pickup truck slammed into the military vehicle on a curve in the street, causing it to careen off the street into a taco stand, killing four civilians, including a four month old baby.

Found dead under the armor truck: Idalia Hernández Pérez 40, Jessica Dayana Nieto Hernández 20, Rous Madaby Flores Nieto 4 months, all live on Narciso street in la colonia Villa Florida, and Rene Morales 26 who was at the taco shop.

Remarkably, there were injured survivors; Jesús Hernández 23, Isidro Nieto Hernández 16 and Ángel de Jesús Flores Nieto 3.

The manta says the authorities need to investigate this incident because they, especially the Military, are reporting that Cmdte. Toro was in the Cheyenne, the armored military vehicle was pursuing. Toro says he was not even in the area.

The manta also says the military vehicle that impacted the taco stand was not hit by another vehicle. It's saying the driver of the military vehicle was driving negligently.

Local media says this proves Toro and Los Metros have infiltrated the military because no media sources have reported Toro being in the Cheyenne.

This info about Toro being in the vehicle pursued, according to Causaprobable, is found only in internal military documents.

In a Tamaulipas State communique, it says during the chase, the military vehicle was cutoff by a Silverado that opened fire. The gun fire shattered the windshield of the military vehicle, causing the driver to lose visibility. Then the Silverado smashed into the Rino, causing it to hit the taco stand. Link here to read

This report also mentions the "I'm not a terrorist" manta, in which Toro talks about the military seizing (and stealing) 8 million pesos and 150,000 dollars (white truck above left). Again, the writer believes this info had not been made public, so it also shows Toro has an informant in the military.

The manta was in response to an audio released, that is a conversation between CDG comandantes Chiricuas and Wero (guero) Cleofas, and El Toro, who is referred to but Toro is unheard. (Julian Manuel "Comandante Toro" Loisa Salinas) In the recorded conversation, there are plans revealed to detonate car bombs in Tamaulipas. To read narrative link here.

The translated text of earlier manta: "I am not a terrorist ...."

Mr. President Enrique Peña Nieto, Governor Egidio Torre Cantú, Mayor Pepe Elias Leal and the State Police Force of Tamaulipas, Fedral Police, Sedena and Marina, this message is for you, to make it clear, I am a drug trafficker, I am not a terrorist , as announced through social media, where it said that I want to use car bombs to unleash a dirty war.

There is no justification, I am outside the bounds of the law, but I repeat, I am a drug trafficker. I am also seen as a kidnapper and extortionist but check your files, and you will see these crimes have decreased since I have been at the helm.

Also, why not make public about what happened with the 8 million pesos and 158,000 U.S. Dollars that was inside the white truck that was seized in Los Arcos.

In the end you are the same or worse than us, because you are criminals also, the only difference is that you use the police to commit your abuses and violations.

Sincerely,

Comandante Toro and CDG

Wife of El Chapo files for protection against search and arrest

Lucio R. for Borderland Beat

According to Proceso, after the raids last October to family properties in Sinaloa and Durango, Emma Coronel Aispuro, the current “wife” Joaquin El Chapo Guzman -legally he is still married to wife no.1, Alejandrina María Salazar Hernández and never legally married the others-, filed two amparos in Toluca federal court to protect her against arrest, and brought before the Attorney General's Office (PGR).

An amparo is a legal action or an appeal, which protects the constitutional rights of citizen.

The Tijuana Zeta weekly magazine, reported that Coronel asked for the protection against, search and arrest. Coronel was born in California but lived her childhood in Canelas, Durango, she gave birth to twin daughters in southern California in 2011.

At the time of Chapo’s arrest in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, in February 22, 2014, Coronel, a nanny and his twins were with him. Although Coronel was taken in to custody, and the nanny, at the time of the arrest, they were processed-mugs and fingerprints- but were allowed to go free without charges. See her mugshot at left, looking little like the beauty queen photos that have flooded the media over the years. It appears she has followed the trend of females in Sinaloa by having her share of plastic surgery.

The mugshot was given by PGR, to 60 minutes, who says it is Chapo's wife, it was supposedly taken by PGR. At bottom is a mugshot of the twin’s nanny who was also taken into custody.

One can only surmise that the PGR agency is seeking her now to question her about Chapo’s whereabouts and his tunnel escape from Altiplano on July 11^th.

The legal filing came three weeks succeeding elements of the Special Forces, searching for Chapo, stormed Coronel’s properties, and those of her family, in Sinaloa and Durango.

However, judges hearing the amparo requests are demanding that Coronel reveal “under oath” where her home is located, either Durango or Sinaloa.

First and only legal wife, Alejandrina Salazar

Edgar Coronel Aispuro, Emma's brother was arrested on charges of supporting the escape of El Chapo.

On April 30, 2013 Coronel’s father, Ines Coronel was arrested, along with his son Inés Omar Coronel in Agua Prieta, Sonora. The senior Coronel was in charge of trafficking drugs through the border state of Sonora and into Arizona. His area of operations included both Sonora and his native Durango. His primary plazas were Agua Prieta, San Luis, and Cananea in Sonora.

He remains imprisoned in Hermosillo, Sonora.

The Casarrubias Brothers: Leaders of Guerreros Unidos implicates links to Carlos Ahumada, La Familia and Uranium exports to China

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Milenio article with additional photos from Google images

[ Subject Matter: The Casarrubias Brothers, Guerreros Unidos Cartel
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required]

Three of the four brothers are accused of participating in the disappearance of 43 normalistas of Ayotzinapa; this past week Federal Forces detained one of them with arms and drugs. Sidronio is now implicating Carlos Ahumada of links with him, La Familia and selling uranium to China, and of helping escape in his helicopter, a leader of a criminal group in Tierra Caliente, Johnny Hurtado, "El Pescado", alleged leader of La Familia Michoacana.

Sidronio Cassarubias Salgado

Reporter: Milenio Digital
Mexico City, The Casarrubias Salgado brothers, forged their leadership of the criminal group Guerrors Unidos, which operates in Guerrero, Morelos and Mexico State, and among other activities transported heroin to Chicago, United States.

Three of the four brothers are accused of participating in the disappearance of the 43 normalistas of Ayotzinapa in the Iguala municipality, where the ex municipal president, Jose Luis Abarca, and his wife, Maria de los Angeles Pineda, were working with the criminal group according to the PGR.




Mario and Sidronio are detained, Jose Angel is sought by the authorities who have offered a 1.5 million pesos reward for information leading to his capture.

Adan was detained last week with guns and drugs.

Mario, "El Sapo Guapo"

He was leader of Guerreros Unidos until Federal Forces detained him in Toluca on 29th of April last year. The criminal group operate in Guerrero, Morelos and Mexico State, informed the National Commissioner for Security, Monte Alejandro Rubido one day after his detention.

"El Sapo Guapo" is accused by the PGR of being the principal trafficker of drugs to Chicago, United States, hidden in trailers of fruit and passenger coaches, crimes against health, being a member of a criminal organization, possession of fire arms, murder, kidnapping and extortion.

Before being part of Guerreros Unidos, "El Sapo Guapo worked as a security element of the Beltran Leyva Organization, Mario Casarrubias founded his own criminal group with ex members of various groups in Michoacan and Guerrero.

Sidronio

Inherited the leadership of Guerreros Unidos after his brother Mario was captured and continued the strategy of violence to control his drug routes. The then prosecutor Jesus Murillo Karam said on the 17th of October that Sidronio is linked with the disappearance of the 43 normalistas of Ayotzinapa.

"He said no, that he was informed, that he didn't order it, and that he opposed it, he remembers in his testimony, he said that he didn't order it and that it was a situation unforeseen", said Murillo Karam.

Sidronio was imprisoned in the maximum security Cefereso no.1 "Altiplano", in State of Mexico, and a Federal Judge initiated a penal process against him for the crimes of being a member of a criminal organization and possession of fire arms for exclusive use of the armed forces.

Adan Zenen, "El Tomate"

The authorities had designated him as possible successor to his brother Sidronio. On the 29th of October, military and federal police detained him in Cuernavaca, Morelos, with the municipal president of Cocula, Guerrero, Eric Ulises Ramirez Crespo. Federal functionaries commented to Milenio that day that at the moment of his capture "El Tomate" was in possession of fire arms and a package of drugs.

The PGR consigned "El Tomate" to Cefereso no.11 in Hermosillo, Sonora while waiting for a Judge to resolve his jurisdictional situation.

Jose Angel, "El Mochomo"

The PGR are offering a reward of 1.5 million pesos for information leading to his capture, and is allegedly one of those responsible for the disappearance of the 43 normalistas.

The allegations

Sidronio, also known as "El Chino", didn't only confess to the PGR that Maria de los Angeles Pineda Villa is whom "was really in charge in Iguala", but also about the alleged links that Mayors had with his and other criminal organizations, and businesses with empresarios like Carlos Ahumada Kurtz.

Persons who had access to the initial investigations and testified in the Iguala case permitted Milenio to know the details of his declaration of made on 18th of October of 2014 before agents of the Federal Public Ministry, where he affirmed that Ahumada is an acquaintance of Johnny Hurtado Olascoaga, "El Pescado", leader of "La Familia Michoacana".

Johnny Hurtado

In all, functionaries of the Federal Government revealed that the PGR investigated Ahumada for his probable links to criminal organizations in Guerrero.

An investigator, signalled that SEIDO started the investigation based in part, on the declarations given by Jose Maria Chavez Magana, "El Pony", alleged boss of "La Familia", and Sidronio Casarrubias Salgado.

El Chino affirmed that Ahumada is an acquaintance of El Pescado, leader of La Familia Michoacana in Tierra Caliente, with whom he traffics uranium.

According to information given by consultants both State and Federal, "El Pescado" or "El Pez" assumed the leadership of this criminal group after the detention of "El Pony" in July of 2014 in Guanajuato.

"El Pony" operated in the Mexican Municipalities of Tejupilco, Luvianos, Tlatlaya, Otzolotepec, Amatepec, Zacualpa and Zacazonapan, localities that adjoin Guerrero.

In the investigation opened for the disappearance of the 43 normalistas of Ayotzinapa, that he was not questioned, and that Sidronio declared that Carlos Ahumada is the owner of two mines in Guerrero, where they are digging uranium.

"One of the mines is in Campo Morado, Tierra Caliente, Guerrero. The cargo was transported by boat, but Ahumada hid the uranium ore among other combined ores, and transported them to Lazaro Cardenas, but the majority of the cargo went to Port of Colima, where it was loaded directly onto Chinese ships with which they dealt. This mine is also exploited by a Canadian business", said the Federal Public Ministry agent.

Sidronio mentioned that when "El Pescado" was in danger of being arrested and detained, Ahumada facilitated on several occasions an aircraft to use in escaping Federal agents.

"I add that when "El Pescado" was in danger of being detained by any Governmental authority, Carlos Ahumada helped him with a helicopter that he owned, it was also used to help "El Fresa", who is the cousin of Jose Alfredo Hurtado, who in reality is the brother of Johnny Hurtado".

"In the same way "El Pescado" is an aficionado of Soccer, and utilised the helicopter to access part of Mexico City or Toluca. Ahumada when digging uranium has to pay 20 thousand pesos per boat to "El Pescado", who is the top leader of "La Familia", said the Boss of Guerreros Unidos.

Arrangements with Mayors

Guerreros Unidos, referred Sidronio, was founded by Cleotilde Toribio Renteria, "El Tilde", who was detained in the Santa Fe zone in Mexico City, on the 9th of July 2012.

"El Tilde", added Sidronio, is the brother of Sostenes, Federico and Serefino; and points out that this family evades capture particularly the brothers Federico and Moises.

Sidronio and his brother Mario Casarrubias, "El Sapo Guapo", took administrative control of Guerreros Unidos at the start of 2014; however, Mario was captured in Toluca, State of Mexico, during April of this year in an Army operation.

El Chino also detailed the conflicts that there are between the criminal organizations which operate in Guerrero.

"... there exists a war between the different Cartels, they are Los Rojos, led by Omar Cuenca Marino and Santiago Mazario Hernandez, "El Carrete", also a member of La Familia Michoacana, led by Johnny Hurtado and Alfredo Hurtado, "La Fresa".

"The simple kinship with Mario was the objective of these groups, during which they only tried to move in municipalities that had a presence of Guerreros Unidos; among them I could mention Iguala, Taxco, Cocula, Buenavista de Cuellar, Tepecua, where there exist arrangements with the Municipal Presidents, and principally with the Directors of Public Security, arrangements that had already been made between them and Gil (Gildardo Lopez Astudillo)".

In Iguala there were arrangements directly with Jose Luis Abarca Velazquez and his cousin Felipe Flores Velazquez, ex Secretary of Security for this locality, who is sought for the disappearance of the 43 normalistas.

"The arrangements were held with Senora Maria de los Angeles Pineda Villa, sister of Borrado ( Alberto) and "El MP" (Mario) who were close collaborators of Arturo Beltran Leyva and that they were assassinated on orders of the capo, this woman Maria de los Angeles is who sent all the money to El MP, and is who is really in charge in Iguala, and the money collected from the municipal presidency pays for the protection of the narcos", he said.

Guerrero Unidos received the money from Iguala and took it to Raul Salgado Hernandez, "La Camperra", and "El Gil", who were in charge of distributing it to their members located in other municipal presidencies.

In the municipality of Huitzuco, they had "El Gualter", but he betrayed and went to the side of "El Carrete", leader of Los Rojos.

"on the part of Teloloapan was "El May", who is also chief of sicarios in Iguala, in State of Mexico, Ixtapan de la Sal; there didn't exist a Captain, as we called plaza jefes, but we appointed the Police Director, who was known as "El Chaparrito", real name of Efrain Pedroza".

"On the side of the state of Morelos is El Carrete, who I already referred to as being against Guerreros Unidos".

Kidnappings in Valle de Bravo

"In the town of Acapetlahuaya ( Guerrero ), we have against us already the Municipal President Eleuterio Aranda Salgado known as "El Solitario del sur", he represents the armed wing of Johnny Hurtado; including Eleuterio the can search the Internet and leave singing narco corridos of La Familia Michoacana; in this zone has the presence of a subject nicknamed "El Chainis", whose name is Jose Mendez Lopez, and he controls Palmar Chico and Palmar Grande, Guerrero this group includes those persons who carried out the kidnappings in 2014 in Valle de Bravo, State of Mexico.

"He also gives support to the people of Amatepec, Edomex, and Ixcapuzalco, Guerrero, and who is equal to Rogaciano Mecino, President of Cuetzala, above all they give social support to the sicarios of the organization. Additionally they have that take care of poppy planting in a place they call "Rio Chiquito", he added.

In the town of Arcelia, Guerrero, added Sidronio, they hide "El Pescado", who is the owner of a gas station in this location.

Original article in Spanish at Milenio
Original article in Spanish at Milenio