Home of a drug lord

I am back from Mexico with pictures. No, not of me. Keep reading, please.

You probably don’t recall hearing several years ago about a drug lord’s house being taken down in Mexico City. About $207 million (US) in cash was seized but it wasn’t until recently that all the legitimate pictures of the raid surfaced. I stand to be corrected but hope I have eliminated the usual phoney pictures that appear on the Net, thanks to the myth-buster Snopes website and other sources in Mexico.

The story that follows the pics is guaranteed correct.

Click below for an incredible look inside a drug lord’s villa.


A big bed of money with guns for security.


The federal police wear masks to avoid recognition.


Nice place, near the foreign embassies.


He was a collector of gold-plated weapons.


In the name of the lord.


Guard cat.


The house is burned, sans contents.


Here’s the story in words:

The bust was described by the Mexican government as “the largest drug cash seizure” in history. Most of the money was in American hundred dollar bills but authorities also found millions in yen, pesos and euros. The agents also seized eight luxury vehicles.

If you want to buy muscle protection and drug mules in Mexico, compared with Canada, multiply that amount by 10. In other words, we are talking about our equivalent of some $2 billion in spending value.

Mexican and U.S. authorities worked on the raid for a year.

Here is a twist: The drug lord was China-born Zhenti Ye Gon, who later became a Mexican citizen.

He fled Mexico after the raid but was eventually arrested in Rockville, Maryland. He was finally ordered deported to Mexico earlier this month. Even though his Mexican cash was seized, Ye Gon appeared to have enough stashed for the best lawyers in the U.S. He strung out the deportation for over two years.

Interpol says police in several countries wish to speak with him.

The drug house was in Lomas de Chapultec, a Mexico City neighbourhood of walled compounds where many ambassadors from around the world and wealthy business people live.

The money came from importing pseudoephedrine from China. That’s the main ingredient of crystal math, as well as the cough syrup you might buy at the drug store.

The chemical came from the Chinese UNIMED pharmaceutical company, which U.S. authorities allege smuggles the chemical into Mexican ports.

It has been reported that the Mexican (and Chinese?) gangs control 80 per cent of the meth market in the U.S.

A Mexican bricklayer might make $15 a day. Imagine the attraction of a 400 per cent raise for a little drug work. The local police are also paid little. Imagine the attraction of being on the take from the cartels.

Previous Mexican president Fox and current president Calderon - who has declared the war on cartels - are conservatives. Calderon won by a fraction of one percent. He will be in office for two more years, then can’t run again.

The economy and services have improved under them. There is a semblance of old age security, more money for hospitals, education and economic growth.

The socialist governments had been in power for 40 years.

They were corrupt and hand-in-hand with the traffickers.

Some say drugs are 40 per cent of the Mexican economy.

So who do Mexicans vote for?

Tough problem. Anyone have an easy solution?

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Quick thought on Vancouver being voted the most livable city in the world earlier this week. How can a city that is under rain at least eights months a year and has near-gridlock traffic 24/7 be voted most livable?

I sense greenies are behind this.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.