Feds charge 13 in stolen car pipeline to Mexican cartels

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 09:32 · Archive

Federal authorities have charged 13 people in a scheme to smuggle stolen vehicles through El Paso to Mexican cartels. The vehicles were stolen from private owners and major rental car companies before being driven across the border into Mexico, where they allegedly supported the cartels' operations.

Operation Southbound Takedown recovered 29 vehicles worth an estimated $1.14 million. Federal agents and prosecutors began investigating in the spring after identifying a pattern of stolen vehicles being transported to individuals allegedly connected to criminal organisations in Mexico, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas. Among the recovered vehicles were a damaged white SUV, an armored black SUV and an armored pickup truck.

Ryan G. McRae, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in El Paso, said the stolen vehicles revealed criminal activity extending beyond auto theft. 'These are not isolated property crimes,' he 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.' U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons warned people considering transporting stolen vehicles into Mexico that cartels exploit individuals seeking quick money to further operations including human smuggling, extortion, drug trafficking and murder.

How it is being reported

• Feds crack down on stolen car pipeline to Mexican cartels as 13 charged in border schemeA cross-border pipeline of stolen vehicles allegedly supplied Mexican cartels with cars and trucks to support their criminal operations, federal authorities say, with 13 people now facing charges in the scheme.New York Post · 27 Oct, 09:15
• Feds crack down on stolen car pipeline to Mexican cartels as 13 charged in border schemeOperation Southbound Takedown recovered 29 stolen cars worth $1.14 million allegedly funneled through El Paso to Mexican cartels for daily operations.Fox News · 27 Oct, 07:27

In this story: Mexican cartels · El Paso · Mexico · Homeland Security Investigations · U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas · Ryan G. McRae · Justin R. Simmons

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem