Federal authorities say a cross-border vehicle theft network allegedly supplied Mexican cartels with cars and trucks for use in their criminal operations. Thirteen people have been charged in connection with the scheme.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, the vehicles were stolen from private owners and large rental-car companies, then driven through El Paso, Texas, and across the border into Mexico. Investigators say the vehicles were used to support the cartels’ day-to-day activities.
As part of the investigation, known as Operation Southbound Takedown, authorities recovered 29 vehicles with an estimated combined value of $1.14 million, prosecutors said.
Ryan G. McRae, the Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge in El Paso, said the stolen vehicles point to a broader criminal enterprise rather than isolated auto thefts.
“These are not isolated property crimes,” McRae said. “The stolen vehicles related to Operation Southbound Takedown demonstrate an alarming pattern and are used to support the day-to-day operations of dangerous criminal organizations.”
Images released by prosecutors included a damaged white SUV recovered in Mexico, along with an armored black SUV and an armored pickup truck.
Federal agents and prosecutors launched the investigation in the spring after detecting a pattern in which stolen vehicles were being delivered to people allegedly linked to criminal organizations in Mexico, the U.S. attorney’s office said.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons warned anyone considering transporting stolen vehicles into Mexico that cartels are taking advantage of people seeking to make a “quick buck” while advancing their criminal operations.
Those activities include “human smuggling, extortion, drug trafficking, and even murder,” Simmons said.
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“You are now on notice,” Simmons said. “If you provide support to these cartels, many of which have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations, by transporting stolen vehicles out of this country and into Mexico, we will find you, and we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.”
Prosecutors said 11 of the 13 defendants are U.S. citizens and two are Mexican citizens. One of the Mexican citizens holds a lawful permanent resident card, while the other has a border crossing card.
Two of the Americans, Kimberly Aguilar and Marty Gerardo Jr., are being held in state custody. The other 11 defendants were federally indicted and arrested between July 22 and Oct. 19, prosecutors said.
All 13 defendants face charges of interstate transportation of stolen property, an offense carrying a potential sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison upon conviction. The charges are allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The investigation brought together Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and other federal, state and local agencies through the Homeland Security Task Force.
McRae said authorities also worked with private-sector partners to disrupt the alleged vehicle theft and transportation network, which operated across the United States and Mexico.
“This work is ongoing; we’re not stopping here,” he said.
Coult W. Markovsky, the FBI’s acting special agent in charge in El Paso, issued a warning of his own to people assisting the cartels.
“To individuals assisting the cartels, Justice will find you!” he said.
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