Post by Webster on May 31, 2018 0:34:43 GMT -5
Epilogue
AP NEWS...................Officials Cite Cooperative Effort in Breaking Cartel---November 2011
(pictures are of U.S. Atty. Gen and Canadian Justice Minister during announcement of Operation Black Sands in Washington, D.C.)
..................officials in both Washington and Ottawa have begun releasing information concerning a two-year effort to break one of the major Mexican drug cartels. According to sources within both the U.S. Department of Justice and Canada’s Ministry of Justice, the operation, code-named Black Sands, has struck a major blow to the Mexican-based Sinaloa Cartel. Law enforcement personnel across North America began arresting members of the cartel this week based on intelligence and information gathered by a multi-national task force; although officials were cautious in their optimism, sources close to the AP hinted that the scope of the arrests could reach well inside Mexico, possibly to include members of the Mexican government..........
So what did eventually happen?
~~~When the dust settled, over 60 members of the Sinaloa Cartel were arrested, tried and convicted in both Canada and the United States for crimes ranging from money-laundering, drug trafficking and other crimes. Sentences ranged from five years to life without parole.
~~~Sinaloa kingpin Raoul Courvosier fled Mexico for South America, where he bounced around from Brazil to Chile, eventually landing in Venezuela. The U.S. has requested his extradition several times in the past year; each time it has been refused by the Chavez regime. He currently remains on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Listed.
~~~For their 16-month efforts in helping to bring down the Cartel, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sergeants Nox Dineen and Melissa Patten both received commendations for their work; both were later assigned to the Canadian Consulate in Velo City as liaison officers to the Velo City Police Department..............
***Zero Degrees Nightclub, New Year’s Eve, 31 December 2011***
New Year’s Eve; the club was packed with hundreds of people ready to celebrate the New Year. Grabbing a glass of champagne from the bar, I headed over to a nearby table, where everyone was chatting as the time counted down. One of the new widescreens’ showed tens of thousands of revelers’ in downtown Velo City near City Hall; there was an unabashed air of celebration all around. Reaching the table, I said almost comedically, “Since when did we allow Vick to drink champagne?”
“I don’t think it’s going to kill him,” Kelsey said, “and it is New Year’s,” she added, leaning back in her chair with an almost sly, relaxed manner. “Besides, if he does get out of line.....”
“What, and have us subject the people of South Velo to Rhinor? Isn’t that considered torture in some countries?,” I replied, leaning down to kiss her. Taking a nearby seat, I sat down, watching the widescreen’s count down towards New Year’s. As I was sitting down, Mike Chevalier looked over and asked, “Everything back to normal?”
“You could say that, Slick,” I replied. After that night in Van Nuys, Kelsey and I had gone through nearly two days’ worth of de-briefings by local and federal authorities, not to mention they’d wanted to place us under police protection, which we’d grudgingly agreed to. Indeed, I looked back towards the bar and saw two of Kelsey’s detectives, standing at the bar trying to look nonchalant. “Any way, Matt,” he added, "you think the cartel’s gone for good?”
“Probably not. Someone else will take the reins sooner or later; it always happens.” As we continued our conversation, a couple of others gathered around. By now, our corner table was packed; besides Kelsey and myself, Mike Chevalier and his wife, Sarah, were there opposite us. The “kids” of M-K Investigations, Chris Vick, Michael Brewer and Annie Luckett, were their animated selves’. Mike Smith and Melissa Marquis, the other principals within the agency, were joking about something; what it was I had no idea. As the time approached midnight, I raised my champagne glass and got everyone’s attention. “A toast,” I said, pausing as everyone raised their own glasses, “to good friends!”
“To good friends!,” came the reply; as everyone took a sip of champagne, the clock passed one minute ‘til midnight. “Any last wishes before New Year’s?,” I said as the seconds counted down. As the seconds wound down, I thought about the year that had passed and the year that was about to arrive..................”Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year!,” cried out everyone. As everyone celebrated throughout the club, I turned to Kelsey and whispered, “Happy New Year,” cupping her face in my hands and kissing her passionately. Returning it just the same, she replied, “Happy New Year.” As we turned back around to celebrate the New Year, I couldn’t help but think about the path my life had taken to that point, with all the twists and turns in it. I thought, I am one truly lucky individual. I’m married to a very beautiful woman, I’ve got some of the best friends one could have and I’m a member of the best damned street racing club in Velo City. Yeah, I thought to myself as I finished the small flute of champagne.....life is good.
AP NEWS...................Officials Cite Cooperative Effort in Breaking Cartel---November 2011
(pictures are of U.S. Atty. Gen and Canadian Justice Minister during announcement of Operation Black Sands in Washington, D.C.)
..................officials in both Washington and Ottawa have begun releasing information concerning a two-year effort to break one of the major Mexican drug cartels. According to sources within both the U.S. Department of Justice and Canada’s Ministry of Justice, the operation, code-named Black Sands, has struck a major blow to the Mexican-based Sinaloa Cartel. Law enforcement personnel across North America began arresting members of the cartel this week based on intelligence and information gathered by a multi-national task force; although officials were cautious in their optimism, sources close to the AP hinted that the scope of the arrests could reach well inside Mexico, possibly to include members of the Mexican government..........
So what did eventually happen?
~~~When the dust settled, over 60 members of the Sinaloa Cartel were arrested, tried and convicted in both Canada and the United States for crimes ranging from money-laundering, drug trafficking and other crimes. Sentences ranged from five years to life without parole.
~~~Sinaloa kingpin Raoul Courvosier fled Mexico for South America, where he bounced around from Brazil to Chile, eventually landing in Venezuela. The U.S. has requested his extradition several times in the past year; each time it has been refused by the Chavez regime. He currently remains on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Listed.
~~~For their 16-month efforts in helping to bring down the Cartel, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sergeants Nox Dineen and Melissa Patten both received commendations for their work; both were later assigned to the Canadian Consulate in Velo City as liaison officers to the Velo City Police Department..............
***Zero Degrees Nightclub, New Year’s Eve, 31 December 2011***
New Year’s Eve; the club was packed with hundreds of people ready to celebrate the New Year. Grabbing a glass of champagne from the bar, I headed over to a nearby table, where everyone was chatting as the time counted down. One of the new widescreens’ showed tens of thousands of revelers’ in downtown Velo City near City Hall; there was an unabashed air of celebration all around. Reaching the table, I said almost comedically, “Since when did we allow Vick to drink champagne?”
“I don’t think it’s going to kill him,” Kelsey said, “and it is New Year’s,” she added, leaning back in her chair with an almost sly, relaxed manner. “Besides, if he does get out of line.....”
“What, and have us subject the people of South Velo to Rhinor? Isn’t that considered torture in some countries?,” I replied, leaning down to kiss her. Taking a nearby seat, I sat down, watching the widescreen’s count down towards New Year’s. As I was sitting down, Mike Chevalier looked over and asked, “Everything back to normal?”
“You could say that, Slick,” I replied. After that night in Van Nuys, Kelsey and I had gone through nearly two days’ worth of de-briefings by local and federal authorities, not to mention they’d wanted to place us under police protection, which we’d grudgingly agreed to. Indeed, I looked back towards the bar and saw two of Kelsey’s detectives, standing at the bar trying to look nonchalant. “Any way, Matt,” he added, "you think the cartel’s gone for good?”
“Probably not. Someone else will take the reins sooner or later; it always happens.” As we continued our conversation, a couple of others gathered around. By now, our corner table was packed; besides Kelsey and myself, Mike Chevalier and his wife, Sarah, were there opposite us. The “kids” of M-K Investigations, Chris Vick, Michael Brewer and Annie Luckett, were their animated selves’. Mike Smith and Melissa Marquis, the other principals within the agency, were joking about something; what it was I had no idea. As the time approached midnight, I raised my champagne glass and got everyone’s attention. “A toast,” I said, pausing as everyone raised their own glasses, “to good friends!”
“To good friends!,” came the reply; as everyone took a sip of champagne, the clock passed one minute ‘til midnight. “Any last wishes before New Year’s?,” I said as the seconds counted down. As the seconds wound down, I thought about the year that had passed and the year that was about to arrive..................”Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year!,” cried out everyone. As everyone celebrated throughout the club, I turned to Kelsey and whispered, “Happy New Year,” cupping her face in my hands and kissing her passionately. Returning it just the same, she replied, “Happy New Year.” As we turned back around to celebrate the New Year, I couldn’t help but think about the path my life had taken to that point, with all the twists and turns in it. I thought, I am one truly lucky individual. I’m married to a very beautiful woman, I’ve got some of the best friends one could have and I’m a member of the best damned street racing club in Velo City. Yeah, I thought to myself as I finished the small flute of champagne.....life is good.