Benjamin Arellano Felix
| Benjamín Arellano Félix | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
March 12, 1952 Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico |
| Other names | El Min |
| Occupation | Tijuana Cartel leader |
| Criminal charge | Drug trafficking, money laundering, murder |
| Criminal penalty | 25 years in a US federal prison + 22 years in a Mexican prison |
| Criminal status | Arrested in March, 2002, due to be out by March, 2049 |
Benjamín Arellano Félix (born 12 March 1952) is a Mexican drug trafficker and former leader of the Mexican criminal organization known as the Tijuana Cartel or 'Arellano-Félix Organization'.
Benjamín Arellano, who worked closely with his brothers, was one of Mexico's most powerful drug lords and the supplier of a third of U.S.A.'s cocaine. Benjamín had six brothers:
He also has four sisters, and Alicia and Enedina are most active in the cartel's affairs.
Benjamín was first arrested on June 18, 1982 in Downey, California for receiving 100 kilos of cocaine smuggled through the San Ysidro border, however, he escaped custody. The Arellano Félix brothers obtained their first big break in 1989 when they inherited the organization from Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo after they showed early promise smuggling consumer electronics over the border. By 1998, the Arellano brothers had been indicted in the U.S. for drug trafficking and his brother Ramón was put on the FBI's 10 most wanted list.
Despite the brothers' audacity, they remained untouchable for 13 years. This was done, in part, with large amounts of cash, bribing Mexican politicians and police commanders, at the cost of an estimated $1m USD per week.
Benjamín Arellano tried to clear his name after the 1993 murder of Cardinal Juan Jesus Posadas Ocampo, in which he had been implicated. That high-profile assassination brought international attention to his trafficking organization and though, this forced Benjamín to lie low and adopt false names, he continued to live in casual confidence, apparently unafraid of capture. Another of Benjamin's brothers, Francisco, was arrested soon after on drug charges and Benjamín, Ramón and Javier officially became fugitives.
On 1 June 2000, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned Benjamín under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (sometimes referred to simply as the "Kingpin Act"), for his involvement in drug trafficking along with eleven other international criminals. The act prohibited U.S. citizens and companies from doing any kind of business activity with him, and virtually froze all his assets in the U.S.
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