“Socalj” for Borderland Beat
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| In December 2017, Brazilian authorities arrested Gonzalez-Valencia, 47, at the request of the United States. He was extradited from Brazil to the United States in November 2021. |
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Los Cuinis is closely aligned with the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). Together, Los Cuinis and CJNG form one of Mexico’s largest, most dangerous, and most prolific drug cartels.
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“Gonzalez Valencia worked with Los Cuinis and the CJNG to bring thousands of kilos of drugs into the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case sends a clear message that the Criminal Division is committed to protecting our communities, dismantling the drug trafficking organizations that prey on them for profit, and holding traffickers like Gonzalez Valencia accountable.”
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Jose Gonzalez-Valencia was able to hide out in Bolivia for 2 years thanks to a false identity under the
name Jafett Arias Becerra.
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This case is supported by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The DEA Los Angeles Field Division is investigating the case. Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Kaitlin Sahni and Trial Attorneys Kate Naseef and Kirk Handrich of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.