3 more Mexican drug cartel members charged

MANILA, Philippines - Three more alleged members of the notorious Sinaloan drug cartel in Mexico were charged before the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday.

Carlos Isaac Ochoa, Jaime Ibarra Sanchez and a certain “Fernando Jose” were identified by the Philippine National Police (PNP) as alleged cohorts of Jorge Torres, said to be the leader of a drug syndicate busted by authorities last Dec. 24 during a raid on the Lipa City ranch owned by the family of Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leviste.

The PNP Anti-Illegal Drugs Special Operations Task Force filed charges of delivery, transportation and possession of illegal drugs under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act or Republic Act 9165 against the suspects.

Ochoa and Sanchez are from Sinaloa, Mexico, police said.

In a 12-page referral to the DOJ, police said their surveillance operations in October and November last year showed the link between the group and Horacio Hernandez, whom they classified as “mid-level Sinaloa drug cartel.”

Hernandez, who arrived in the country on Oct. 28, 2013, was allegedly tasked to conduct illegal drug deals in the country through a joint operation with a Chinese drug ring led by Gary Tan, who was among those arrested in the raid.

He was the one who allegedly supplied cocaine and shabu to a Manila-based drug trafficker.