Private investigator Jay Armes III uncovers the chilling strategy of Mexican cartels: employing women and children as assassins, masking their sinister intentions behind ordinary facades. This shocking revelation sheds light on the insidious tactics used by organized crime syndicates to perpetuate violence and evade detection.
In the treacherous underworld of Mexican cartels, a sinister shift has taken place. Private investigator Jay Armes III, a seasoned expert in Mexican crime, has exposed the disturbing trend of cartels recruiting women and children as assassins. These individuals are carefully groomed to become "perfect hit men," their youthful appearance and seemingly innocuous nature providing a cunning disguise.
One recent case that exemplifies this chilling tactic is the arrest of Glenis Zapata, a 34-year-old former Miss Indiana Latina. Zapata was apprehended as part of a sweeping drug operation with ties to a Mexican cartel. Her role as a flight attendant allegedly provided a convenient cover for transporting drug money from Chicago to Mexico.
In addition to Zapata, two bank tellers have also been implicated in the operation: Zapata's sister, Ilenis Zapata, and Georgina Banuelos. These ordinary individuals were allegedly recruited by Oswaldo Espinosa, the alleged ring leader of a multi-million dollar Mexico-based drug trafficking ring.
Espinosa, a wanted fugitive by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), is accused of leading a sophisticated organization that flooded US streets with thousands of kilograms of cocaine. His operation utilized warehouses and garages across the Midwest to conceal drugs and money, which were then transported via semi-trailer trucks and commercial flights, including through the assistance of Glenis Zapata.
According to court documents, Espinosa's organization, known as the Espinosa DTO, was responsible for eight drug trafficking operations from 2021 to 2023 and 15 cash transports between November 2019 and March 2022. The investigation that led to Espinosa's downfall was spearheaded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, a collaborative effort designed to combat major drug rings in the United States.
The Espinosa DTO, while smaller in scale compared to behemoths like the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and El Chapo's Sinaloa Cartel, underscores the pervasive nature of Mexican cartels in the US. Researchers estimate that approximately 150 Mexican cartels operate in the country, with an estimated 175,000 active members.
Mexican cartels have expanded their operations into all 50 US states, bringing with them drug and human trafficking, violence, and other illicit activities. The DEA identifies the Jalisco New Generation and Sinaloa cartels as the most powerful and ruthless, with methamphetamine and fentanyl being their primary products.
Federal law enforcement agencies are tirelessly pursuing these major drug operations. In 2023, authorities seized bulk cash valued at $18 million within 150 miles of the border. The DEA's focus is on dismantling the cartels and targeting the violent dealers who fuel the fentanyl crisis and contribute to thousands of American deaths weekly.
"DEA’s top operational priority is to relentlessly pursue and defeat the two Mexican drug cartels … that are primarily responsible for driving the current fentanyl poisoning epidemic in the United States," the DEA report states. The ongoing efforts aim to disrupt the cartels' operations and protect American communities from the devastating consequences of illicit drug trafficking.
