Trial begins for those involved in 'Casablanca'

April 14, 1999

THE MAYOR'S REPORT WAS NOT CONVINCING. In the opinion of the local Canaco leader, Ernesto Hays Olea, the municipal cabinet's mini-report made it clear that there is still no government project and it was proven that the only thing there is are pure good intentions. The leader of Canacintra, Jorge Balderrama, considered that comparative information was needed in the officials' presentation in such a way that it could serve as an element to say whether progress has been made or not. The granting of power to street union leaders was criticized.

MONEY LAUNDERING COULD OCCUR IN AHOME. “I don't know, but I don't doubt that money laundering could take place here,” declared Councilor Ricardo Félix, recognizing drug traffickers as a real power in the world. In just the biggest market for money laundering, USA, operate hundreds of millions of dollars in all their illicit networks, he noted. He declared that he had no knowledge of anyone involved in this illicit activity, although it would be too illusory to think that we are exempt from this evil.

THEY WILL REINFORCE PUBLIC SECURITY. Culiacan. With the signing of the agreement for public security to be carried out between the Governor Juan S. Millán and the Secretary of the Interior, Francisco Labastida, operations to combat crime may be reinforced. To begin with, the agents of the Public Ministry and the employees of the Attorney General's Office hope that they will begin to pay the salary increases that they were offered retroactive to January, to prevent corruption and dignify the administration of justice. State authorities have high hopes for the allocation of federal resources.

CAMACHO, CLOWN AND DISLOYAL: FLOR. Mexico DF Manuel Camacho He was disloyal to the institutions in his handling of the Chiapas conflict, and committed political mistakes that made the Zapatista movement grow, when his mission was to calm it, accused the Secretary of the Interior, Francisco Labastida Ochoa. Regarding Chiapas, he pointed out that the presence of an undetermined number of armed groups is caused by the initial operation of one. The PGR continues an investigation into these clandestine guards and the search for weapons on all roads.

TRIAL BEGINS FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN “CASABLANCA”. The Angels. The trial against six employees of mexican banks arrested in undercover operation “White House” against him money laundering, began almost a year after the largest investigation of its type deployed by the United States became known. In the midst of strict security measures that prevail in the Roybal Federal Court building, the so-called opening statements began, with which the Prosecutor's Office will try to demonstrate the crimes committed. This will be the first criminal trials stemming from the arrests known in May of last year, when the United States released the results of the operation and admitted that none of the defendants' countries of origin were notified beforehand. According to the procedure, prosecutors will have one hour to present before Judge Lourdes Baird the dozens of violations committed, while each lawyer for the accused will also have one hour to respond to the accusations. The operation, carried out for three years, at a cost of 300 million dollars and with the participation of more than 200 US agents, resulted in the arrest of some 160 people, the seizure of 35 million dollars, four tons of marijuana and two tons of cocaine. “Casablanca” indicted more than a hundred people, including more than 20 Mexicans – some fugitives and others in prisons in their country -, Venezuelans and Colombians, accused of drug trafficking and laundering their profits.

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Sylva Mónica Ruffo Kelly, who completed her basic and high school studies in Los Mochis, stayed two years in El Centro, California, where she perfected the English language. She joined El Debate in September 1994 as a translator and later, in 2000, she became an assistant to the Editorial Team of El Debate de Los Mochis, tasks that led her to take charge of the entertainment page for more than 10 years and the newspaper archive. Upon the death of the City Chronicler, Don Evaristo Fregoso, in September 2003, who wrote the Los Mochis column 50 and 25 years ago, Ruffo Kelly took over the history column, which he later changed to Mi Ciudad 50 and 25 years, in which he narrates what happened in those years on the same day of publication of the newspaper EL DEBATE of Los Mochis.

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