An alleged former leader of an extremely powerful drug cartel,Osiel
Cardenas was arrested and incarcerated in a Mexican prison during
March of 2003. Due to his imprisonment, Jorge Costilla-Sanchez,
reportedly Cardenas's trusted lieutenant, is allegedly responsible
for the daily operations of the drug cartel. Known as the Osiel
Cardenas Guillen Organization or "Gulf Cartel," its
primary goal is drug-trafficking. This large Mexican drug cartel
is responsible for the smuggling and distribution of cocaine
and marijuana, as well as the money laundering of proceeds from
the distribution of these drugs. Over the last 20 years, the
Gulf Cartel has transported multi-loads of marijuana and cocaine
through Mexico to the United States. The drugs are then smuggled
through various parts of the United States. Proceeds from the
sales of these narcotics are in turn, sent back to Mexico for
use by the Gulf Cartel. Additionally, crack cocaine and methamphetamines
are smuggled as well. Though the Gulf Cartel's center of operations
is in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, the cartel's controlling
territory has expanded toward Reynosa, Mexico, along the northern
U.S./Mexico border toward Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and surrounding
communities.
On April 10, 2002, a federal arrest warrant was issued in
the United States District Court, Southern District of Texas,
Brownsville Division. Jorge Costilla-Sanchez was charged with
a variety of dangerous drug offenses, threatening to assault
and murder federal agents, money laundering, and aiding and abetting.
Costilla-Sanchez may be staying in northern Mexico, possibly in Matamoros. He may also wear a mustache.
