Rewards of $50 million announced for information on narcotics kingpins in Mexico

July 20, 2009 @ 10:53 am

The Department of Justice today announced new federal charges against suspected Mexican drug lords and set $50 million in rewards for information leading to the capture of 10 of the suspects.

Some of the indicted members of the Company. Click the image to see the full DEA Most-Wanted photos

Antonio Ezequiel Cardenas-Guillen, Jorge Eduardo Costilla-Sanchez, Heriberto Lazcano-Lazcano and Miguel Trevino-Morales, high-level Mexican leaders of ‘The Company,’  and 15 of their top lieutenants, have been charged in U.S. federal courts with drug trafficking-related crimes.

The ‘Company’ was formerly known as the Gulf Cartel/Los Zetas drug organization, whose members are former Mexican special forces military.

“These indictments allege a stunning and sophisticated operation by the Company to move illegal drugs into our communities and cash back to Mexico,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer.

Most of those named in the new indictments have already been charged in U.S. cases as far back as 2002.  Today’s unsealed indictments in the Eastern District of New York,  include charges against Miguel Trevino-Morales for “operating a continuing criminal enterprise, international cocaine distribution and firearms violations.”

The departments of Justice, State and Treasury are offering $5 million for information on each of 10 ‘Company’ leaders.  For a list of those names, click here.

They have established an email address, GULFTF@USDOJ.GOV, and toll-free phone line, 877-800-1323, for reporting information concerning the ‘Company.’