U.S. Investigation Sheds Light On Guatemalan Soldiers' Role in Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel Drug Trafficking

The United States government conducted an investigation that shed light on the suspected participation of Guatemalan soldiers in the cocaine smuggling network connected to Mexico's notorious Sinaloa Cartel.

The possible role of the Guatemalan armed forces could be pivotal in the international drug trade. The alleged escorts of the Sinaloa Cartel play a huge part in the drug trade in the region.

According to InSightCrime, the allegations stemmed from a diplomatic note allegedly sent by U.S. authorities to the Attorney General's Office of Guatemala requesting the extradition of alleged drug trafficker Kevin Giordano Ortiz López. Ortiz López was the nephew of former Guatemalan kingpin Juan Ortiz also known as 'Juan Chamalé.'

The Whistleblower

Details of that request were dictated during the extradition hearing of Ortiz López on July 2. An audio recording of the request was obtained by Guatemalan Newspaper Prensa Libre. It was also reviewed by InSight Crime.

The diplomatic note contained testimonies from witnesses who were provided by Guatemalan police agents and drug traffickers who were actively working under the supervision of the Chamalé family drug clan.

One of the witnesses who was part of the recording claimed that the drug group used soldiers to protect the drug shipments after arriving at the sea.

In addition, the witness, who was referred to as TC1 in the audio recording by the U.S. authorities, testified regarding his participation in numerous drug shipments under the drug clan. The witness reportedly stated that once they have received cocaine, soldiers would arrive and load the cocaine into a pickup truck with soldiers who provided security for the convoy.

Moreover, the witness also claimed that Kevin Giordano Ortiz López and other members of their family would travel with the soldiers in cargo trucks. The witness also added that they even used security cars while transporting the cocaine through Guatemala.

Based on the same testimony, the brother of Juan Chamalé, Rony Alexander Ortiz López, was allegedly paid between $400,000 and $1 million in cash for the military escorts.

To clear out the allegations, the Guatemala Attorney General's Office has announced its plans to investigate the alleged participation of officers in the drug network. Also, a spokesperson for the Guatemalan military expressed that the Defense Ministry was willing to cooperate in any investigation related to the alleged participation of the officers in the drug trade, local media reported.

The explosive accusations date back to the days when the well-known Chamalé drug ring controlled smuggling routes that connected the Pacific Coast department of San Marcos of Guatemala to the neighboring Mexican state of Chiapas.

For many years, the clan was considered as one of the main cocaine suppliers of the Sinaloa Cartel, even up until 2011 when Juan Chamalé was arrested and his subsequent extradition to the United States three years later.

The arrest of a mayor in the northern department of San Marcos in Guatemala has revealed the criminal structure known in the area known as the "Los Pochos." Investigators considered the group as the heirs of "Los Chamalé," which was formerly one of Guatemala's main drug gangs and transporters for the Sinaloa Cartel.

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Written by Jess Smith