IGNACIO CORONEL VILLAREAL INDICTED

The Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today that a federal grand jury in the Western District of Texas, El Paso, Texas, has indicted alleged Mexican drug trafficker IGNACIO CORONEL VILLAREAL and ten associates on drug trafficking charges.

CORONEL and his associates were indicted on drug trafficking charges as a result of an FBI led Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force code named "OPERATION BAJA KINGS". This indictment is the result of efforts to target the most powerful criminal enterprises operating in our communities.

During 2003, FBI Special Agents made several significant seizures of cocaine and d-methamphetamine hydrochloride, commonly referred to as crystal ice. One such seizure of crystal ice weighed approximately 80 pounds, had a drug purity of 90% and is considered the largest single seizure of crystal ice by US law enforcement.

IGNACIO CORONEL VILLAREAL, also known as "NACHO" CORONEL is the alleged leader of a drug trafficking organization operating out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. The CORONEL Organization has been growing in power since the early 1990's and has been known to work directly with Colombian sources of supply purchasing multi-ton quantities of cocaine. More recently, the CORONEL Organization has shifted to the manufacturing and distributing of large quantities of methamphetamine. As is common with organized crime, the CORONEL Organization has enhanced its illicit activities through corruption, intimidation and violence.

The scope of "OPERATION BAJA KINGS" investigation involved FBI offices in New York, San Francisco, San Diego, San Antonio, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Tucson, and coordination with our Legal Attaches in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Hermosillo, Mexico.

Additionally, the following law enforcement agencies assisted greatly in this matter: the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, United States Marshals Service, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Probation Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New York Police Department.

Associates indicted include: SALVADOR ANTONIO DAMIAN LOPEZ, aka Salvador Cruz Guillen, Don Chava, Pappy, Apa; LEOPOLDO CRUZ DAMAIN, aka Polo; GUSTAVO RODOLFO FIGUEROA GONZALEZ, aka Tavo; MARIO FERNANDO FIGUEROA GONZALEZ, aka Fer; ALEJANDRO SOLANO aka Ale; JORGE GUILLERMO LANDEROS, aka El Ingeniero, aka Marlboro Man; CESAR SANTILLAN VALLEJO; JOSE LUIS INZUNZA, aka El Doctor; OLGA CRISTINA LERMA LIZARRAGA, and MARTIN LNU.

####