San Antonio Register (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 65, No. 24, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 12, 1996 Page: 3 of 10
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: San Antonio Register and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UT San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.
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W- y'/■ *
Julius Newton is shown with the owner of NAwlins
Restaurant where his mother had a wonderful 96
birthday parth. Photo by Grant
From Page 2 Drag Ring
fewton.
She has been a member of New Light Baptist Church
for 55 years.
Z9 charged after federal authorities
report breaking up Texas drug ring
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Authorized Agent
dgnals that Texas—and in partlcu-
jr.Starr County — has gained
prominence as a hub for the move-
sent of marijuana from Mexico in-
ao fhe United States.
Years ago, theysald, most marl-
ioai a entered the United States
from places such as Colombia or
Manama by boat — to ports In South
Florida and other locate.
Bat as authorities moved to shut
flown those maritime rentes, "the
srhole picture has changed over the
last five years,” said Don Bsmurone,
special agent In charge of the Hous-
ton office of the US. Drug Enforce*1
ment Administration.
' "Mexico has taken on a much
more Important role,” he said, with
overland dilpments through Texas
Amnnating the enterprise.
"The amounts coming through
•re staggering,” he said.
Mr. Ferrarone called Starr Coun-
ty — a remote, sparsely populated
arse with little industry — an "ex-
tremely important” link in the
chain of drag trafficking
Ricardo Rlojas, Roberto Rlojas and
Ramiro Rloju, and an in-law, Pedro
Moreno, all of Starr County; and
Rudolfo Arias of Fort Bend County
on Houston's southwest side.
Ms. Jones identified the Ptojas
brothers and Mr. Moreno as Hie
kingpins of the smuggling ring. Mr.
Arles was Identified as one of the
major distributors. All were
charged, among other offenses,
with engaging In a continuing
criminal enterprise, an offense pun-
ishable by a minimum of 20 years to
Ufa In prison with no possibility of
parole.
Most of the other defendants
could face mandaton tnlmum
sentences of 10 years If con-
victed.
By late Monday, more than 70 of
the 79 people named In the indict-
ment had been arrested, Ms. Jones
said. Some of those arrests took
place as long ego as the week before
Thanksgiving — Including the ar-
rests of IS people In Pronton, Texas,
a Starr County hamlet with a popu-
lation of about 300.
whether the investigation had
turned up evidence of corruption
among local officials In South Tex-
as.
One of those indicted is e Starr
County deputy sheriff, she said. But
she added, without elaborating,
that his alleged involvement In the
drug trade was unrelated to his offi-
cial duties.
No other pnbllc officials were
named In the Indictment, she said.
Mr. Ferrarone, the DBA agent,
said the arrests reached the "high-
est levels" of the smuggling organi-
sation on this side of the border.
Bnt he added that more must be
done on the Mexican side to curb
trafficking if efforts are to be effec-
tive.
. “We’re not yet able to do what we
need to do In Mexico,” he said.
“Fbr ns to really have a lasting
Impact, we most ... get more re-
salts on the Mexican side as well.”
He said the latest Indictment
“staggered” a trafficking ring that
has bean In operation for 20 years.
“Right now, they're having trott-
Wa,*
he said.
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Dec. 14th & 21st Dec. 15th & 22nd
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(6) Hours of Shopping
For Time and Pickup Information
Contact: Ron Whitby 599-1427 Pager: 203-2869
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San Antonio Register (San Antonio, Tex.), Vol. 65, No. 24, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 12, 1996, newspaper, December 12, 1996; San Antonio, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth842109/m1/3/?q=%22%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UT San Antonio Libraries Special Collections.