The head of the Gulf Cartel responsible for shipping cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanly to the United States for six years has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Brownsville, authorities said.
Authorities said Jose Alfredo Cardenas-Martinez, 42, aka El Contador who is the nephew of Oziel Cardenas Gullien and the latest head of the Gulf Cartel or Cartel del Golfo, is named in a nine count indictment that states he possessed 50 grams or more of meth, five kilograms of cocaine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
The indictment was handed down Nov.10, 2021 in the Southern District of Texas. It was partially unsealed on March 7 and listed the charges in the nine indictments.
Cardenas Martinez is in the custody of Mexican authorities pending litigation on the U.S.’s extradition request.
According to Mexico media reports, Cardenas Martinez was arrested Feb. 27, 2022 in Matamoros, Mexico.
The United States Attorney’s Office states Cardenas-Martinez has been head of the Cartel del Golfo since 2015 following the arrest and conviction of Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sanchez aka El Cos. Costilla Sanchez was the cartel’s leader following the arrest and conviction of Cardenas-Guillen, who is currently incarcerated at a federal prison.
Costilla Sanchez was also convicted in the Southern District of Texas and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 12.
As head of the CDG, Cardenas-Martinez allegedly coordinated the shipment of narcotics to the United States for illegal sale across the country, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. According to the charges, the conspiracy to transport cocaine, meth and fentanyl into the United States began in 2015 and continued through 2021.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Homeland Security Investigations Unit.
“Through the joint investigation from our office in Harlingen, in coordination with our Attaché in Mexico and other partners, we were able to gather significant evidence that was instrumental in the case against ‘El Contador,’” said Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden of HSI. “HSI and our law enforcement partners will continue to coordinate to dismantle any suspected transnational criminal organizations that threaten public safety.”
Authorities said the prosecution is part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation Cold Blooded. The task force identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States.
“The arrest of Jose Alfredo Cardenas-Martinez serves a tough blow to the Gulf Cartel Organization,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux. “It is the culmination of a successful international drug investigation which should disrupt the Gulf Cartel’s ability to smuggle drugs into Texas and other communities.”
If convicted, Cardenas-Martinez faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million fine. Authorities said he would also have to forfeit any proceeds he allegedly made from the distribution and property he used to facilitate his drug trafficking business.
The Gulf Cartel has been around for years and was responsible for the distribution of cocaine and marijuana from Mexico to the United States while it was under the control of Cardenas-Guillen, authorities said.
The drugs smuggled into the country under Cardenas-Guillen’s watch were distributed to other areas of the country, including Houston and Atlanta, Ga., authorities said. From July 2000 through September 2001, more than 2000 kilograms of cocaine directly attributable to Cardenas-Guillen was seized by United States law enforcement, authorities said. The distribution of these vast quantities of cocaine and marijuana generated millions of dollars in drug proceeds which flowed south to the Rio GrandeValley and ultimately into Mexico. Drug ledgers seized in Atlanta in June 2001 indicated that the Gulf Cartel generated more than $41 million in drug proceeds over a three-and-a-half-month period in the Atlanta area alone.
