On February 6th, ICE agents in the Rio Grande Valley took a 36-year-old Mexican citizen into custody, who has been identified by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations as the head of a sicario cell affiliated with the Cartel del Golfo, according to a report from FOX 7 Austin. The man, whose identity has not been released, was allegedly in the United States illegally and had a criminal background including a felony conviction for marijuana possession and illegal entry.
Described by authorities as active in kidnapping and notorious for the violence associated with their operations, sicarios represent a dangerous element wanted by both U.S. and Mexican law enforcement. "This enforcement action is part of our relentless fight against violent cartel members who have little regard for the law and degrade the quality of life in our communities," HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee told FOX 26 Houston. Larrabee emphasized the interspersion of the agency's ultimate goal to ensure justice is served and remove these criminal elements from the community.
In relation to the broader context of the Gulf Cartel's influence, Jorge Costilla-Sanchez, the Cartel's former head from 2003 to 2012, received a life sentence back in September 2022 for conspiring to distribute cocaine and marijuana into the U.S. Costilla-Sanchez's tenure was marked by a ruthless grip over a violent drug trafficking empire. According to FOX 7 Austin, the former cartel leader, known also as El Cos and Dos Equis, was involved in the importation of sizeable quantities of illicit drugs.
For community members witnessing suspicious activity that could be linked to such criminal entities, ICE encourages reports through their 24/7 Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE. Charged with creating climates of fear, the sicario cell leader's arrest underlines the ongoing battle against cartels, whose influence attempts to stretch across borders into the lives of everyday people. During the time of Costilla-Sanchez, who had even been a municipal police officer before joining the illicit ranks, he managed to profit $5 million from his intrigues in drug trafficking and was subsequently commanded by the court to pay this amount as a part of his judgment, as reported by FOX 26 Houston. ICE remains vigilant in its mission to stymie such transnational criminal organizations and their operations on U.S. soil.
