DEA and law enforcement members from the state of Alabama briefed in Mexico
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A delegation of law enforcement members from the state of Alabama, to include representatives from the Drug Enforcement Administration, recently returned from a covert trip to Mexico and to the state of Sinaloa, home of the Sinaloa Cartel, announced DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris and U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town.
“It is the hope and prayer of this delegation of law enforcement executives that the citizens of Alabama understand that we are steadfast in our combined efforts to keep our communities safe,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Morris. “Collectively, we will not tolerate the destruction drug trafficking brings to our great state. We witnessed firsthand the lengths Mexican drug cartels will go to fuel the disease of addiction. We are resolved to do everything in our power to stem the flow drugs into Alabama.”
“The efforts and actions of this Alabama delegation underscores the commitment and lengths to which law enforcement in the state will go to ensure the safety of its citizens and fully understand the breadth and sophistication of the enemy we face,” said U.S. Attorney Town. “That enemy is not just the cartels. It is not just the dealers. That enemy is also addiction and abuse. The entire delegation owes its thanks to the DEA for making arduous coordination look effortless.”
On Sept. 11, 2019, a delegation of twelve federal, state and local law enforcement officials traveled to Mexico to see, hear and smell the sophistication of the illegal narcotics trade there. The delegation was briefed in Mexico City at the highest levels. The delegation was in country for less than 72 hours, traveled nearly 5500 total miles and was constantly under the heavily armed protection of United States and Mexican law enforcement. The crime intelligence accumulated by the delegation was immeasurable, only countered by the amount of narcotics activity with but one primary destination: the United States.
The overall message was clear, narcotics trafficking and production in Mexico is dominating the drug trade in the United States. Heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl and even cocaine egressing from Columbia are all being trafficked into the United States by the drug trade in Mexico. The precursor chemicals are being sourced primarily from China, but chemists working for the cartels are also making strides sourcing the precursor materials inside of Mexico. The profit margins for fentanyl and methamphetamine are driving the drug trade by the cartels.
The members of the delegation were:
- Clay Morris - DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Birmingham, New Orleans Division
- Sean Stephen – DEA Group Supervisor, Birmingham, New Orleans Division
- Jay Town – U.S. Attorney, Alabama Northern District
- Louis Franklin - U.S. Attorney, Alabama Middle District
- Richard Moore - U.S. Attorney, Alabama Southern District
- Steven Marshall, Alabama Attorney General
- John Harold Taylor – Alabama Law Enforcement Secretary
- Kevin Turner - Sheriff, Madison County, Alabama
- Barry Matson – Executive Director, Alabama District Attorney’s Association
- Nicholas Derzis – Chief of Police, Hoover Police Department
- Robert Broussard – District Attorney, Madison County, Alabama
- Bryan Taylor – General Counsel, Governor of Alabama
Follow the link to the press release containing the video shown at today's press conference.
Parents and children are encouraged to educate themselves about the dangers of drugs by visiting DEA’s interactive websites at www.JustThinkTwice.com, www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com and www.dea.gov.
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