Operation Blue Storm

American anti-drug operation
Operation Blue Storm
Part of the Mexican Drug War
Date2012
Location
Arizona, Nebraska
Result Successful operation, illegal marijuana smuggling ring dismantled.
Belligerents
 United States Sinaloa Cartel
South Family Bloods
  • v
  • t
  • e
Mexican drug war
Projects and operations:
  • Community Shield
  • Gunrunner
  • Jump Start
  • Michoacán
  • Wide Receiver
  • Baja California
  • Solare
  • Xcellerator
  • Sinaloa
  • Nuevo León-Tamaulipas
  • Guerrero
  • Chihuahua
  • Quintana Roo
  • Coronado
  • Fast and Furious
  • Phalanx
  • Southern Tempest
  • Lince Norte
  • Escorpión
  • Delirium
  • Laguna Segura
  • Safe Veracruz
  • Safe San Luis Potosi
  • Neza
  • State of Mexico
  • Blue Storm
  • Kruz Control
  • Terminus
  • Bishop
  • Coyote
  • Wildfire
  • Black Swan
  • Diablo Express
  • Shadowfire
  • Culiacán

Events:

Topics:

Mexico is supported by the United States in this conflict through the Mérida Initiative.

Operation Blue Storm[1] was a successful police investigation of an illegal marijuana smuggling ring operating in Arizona and Nebraska. During a lengthy investigation in 2012, police investigators uncovered links between the South Family Bloods street gang of Omaha, Nebraska, and the Sinaloa Cartel of northwestern Mexico, which was supplying South Family with illegal marijuana smuggled into and out of Arizona. The Nebraska investigation resulted in the indictment and conviction of 15 individuals, and the seizure of $60,000 in property, while the investigation in Arizona resulted in the indictment of 11 others, who, according to police, were directly linked to the Sinaloa Cartel. Police officials also announced that the illegal marijuana ring was responsible for smuggling 16,000 pounds of product into the United States, with a street value of approximately $7.75 million.[1]

On May 13, 2013, the United States Attorney's office released an assessment of Operation Blue Storm, and credited it as the "most outstanding regional drug trafficking case" of 2012.[1] Six police officers and one civilian were honored with a national ceremony on May 7, 2013, including Officer Dennis O'Connor, Sergeant John Brazda, Officer Shawn McAlpin, Officer Zeb Simmones, Officer John Stuck and Officer R.J. Radik (retired).[2]

During the ceremony, U.S. Attorney Deborah Gilg made the following statement:

"The outstanding work done by this collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies disrupted a major tentacle of the Sinaloa Mexican Cartel to the Midwestern region.... This demonstrates law enforcement teamwork at its best."[2]

The following police agencies participated in Operation Blue Storm: Bellevue Police Department (Nebraska), Omaha Police Department (Nebraska), Peoria Police Department (Arizona) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).[2]


See also

  • flagArizona portal

References

  1. ^ a b c U.S. Attorney's Office, Nebraska (2013-05-07). "Operation Blue Storm Selected as National Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Most Outstanding Regional Drug Trafficking Case of 2012". Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  2. ^ a b c Kirby Kaufman (2013-05-27). "Six honored for Operation Blue Storm". Bellevue Leader. Retrieved 2016-03-20.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Names in italics represent dead or arrested individuals.
disbanded 2010
Armed wings
Founders
Leaders
Disbanded 2011
Founders
Factions
Founders
Leaders
Armed wings
  • La Línea
Founders
Leaders
Armed wings
  • La Resistencia
Founders
Leaders
Armed wings
Founders
Leaders
Founders
Leaders
Founders
Leaders
Founders
Leaders
  • Other cartels and drug lords
  • Corrupt officials
Other cartels
Early drug lords
Corrupt officials
  • Projects
  • Operations
Projects
  • Coronado
  • Delirium
  • Gunrunner
  • Shadowfire
  • Southern Tempest
  • Wildfire
Operations
  • Baja California
  • Bishop
  • Black Swan
  • Blue Storm
  • Chihuahua
  • Community Shield
  • Coyote
  • Diablo Express
  • Escorpión
  • Fast and Furious
  • Jump Start
  • Kruz Control
  • Lince Norte
  • Michoacán
  • Nuevo León-Tamaulipas
  • Phalanx
  • Quintana Roo
  • Sinaloa
  • Solare
  • Terminus
  • Wide Receiver
  • Xcellerator
  • Massacres
  • Deaths
Massacres
Deaths
  • Books
  • Other topics
Books
Other topics