10/28/11– Two days after the capture of the Veracruz leader of the Zeta Cartel, Carlos Arturo Carrillo Pitalua, another high profile Zeta member was arrested under Operation Safe Veracruz. The head accountant of the Zeta Cartel, Carmen del Consuelo Saenz, along 10 other alleged Zetas members who worked beneath her, were captured on Thursday, October 27.
Navy spokesman Jose Luis Vergara stated that Saenz, 29, was the chief operator of the financial arm of the Zeta cartel and received proceeds from drug sales, pirated goods, kidnap ransoms, and extortions in southern Mexico. The profits made from the illicit activities were used to bribe local and federal police and government officials and padded the cartel’s payroll.
Saenz controlled all financial operations Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, and Veracruz. Saenz also over saw accounting assistants in the cities of Poza Rica, Xalapa, Córdoba, Cosamaloapan, Coatzacoalcos, and Veracruz, Veracruz, along with the states of Hidalgo, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, and Tabasco.
Sources:
“Mexico Nabs Female Drug Cartel Financial Operator.” Fox News Latino. October 28, 2011.
“Cae operadora financiera de Los Zetas.” Milenio. October 28, 2011
“Desarticula la Marina una célula financiera de Los Zetas.” La Cronica de Hoy. October 28, 2011.
“Detectan narconómina de zetas en el sureste.” Milenio. October 28, 2011.
