How to Get Busted for Trafficking Guns to Cartels: Brag About It on Facebook

MEXICO CITY — A family-run arms trafficking ring was busted by U.S. authorities after the son allegedly bragged in Facebook messages about working with a powerful Mexican drug cartel, then sent videos of guns and cash.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced the charges Monday, alleging that the group smuggled guns, ammunition, and weapons accessories bought in Oregon, Nevada, Arizona, and Nebraska into Mexico to be sold to the hyper-violent Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG for its Spanish acronym).

The alleged leader of the trafficking organization, Marco Santillan Sr., and his son, Marco Santillan Jr., were arrested along with two other co-conspirators, Michael Diaz and Luis De Arcos. A fifth member of the organization, named Anthony Marmolejo, was already in state custody on separate charges in North Carolina. A sixth man—Rafael Magallon Castillo—remains at large and is believed to be in Mexico, according to prosecutors.

The indictment against the six alleged arms traffickers painted a damning portrait of the organization’s activities since March 2020. Authorities alleged that they trafficked assault rifles, hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition, rifle scopes, and kits to assemble six-barrel rotary machine guns that can fire up to 6,000 rounds per minute.

But while the gang was ambitious, they didn't seem to be very good at keeping a low profile—especially 29-year-old Santillan Jr.

In a series of particularly poor decisions in May 2020, prosecutors claim the younger Santillan boasted about his connection to the CJNG. Founded by wanted fugitive Nemesio Oseguera, alias El Mencho, the CJNG is considered one of the largest and most dangerous criminals groups in Mexico known for its impressive arsenal of military-grade weapons.

On May 26, Santillan Jr. allegedly sent two videos to an unnamed person over Facebook messenger showing around 50 rifles, followed by a third video of himself holding one. Authorities alleged he used “coded language” to tell the individual that the guns were going to Mexico.

That same day, Santillan Jr. bragged to a different person over Facebook messenger that members of “Mencho's cartel... are buying everything,” allegedly referring to the firearms and accessories.

Santillan Jr. continued his flurry of Facebook messages by sending yet another video to a third individual of himself holding a fanned stack of $100 bills and told the person that his sale of firearms to the CJNG was profitable, according to the indictment.

A few days later, Santillan Sr., 51, provided his son with some fatherly advice, reminding him to “always have 2” telephones. It didn't help.

The indictment went on to show how through text messages and Facebook the trafficking organization regularly discussed their business and sent images of the weapons that were to be smuggled to Mexico via California.

On Jan. 19, authorities arrested the four men in various states around the U.S. on charges related to the smuggling ring.

“This case alleges a scheme to provide military-grade firepower to a major drug trafficking organization that commits unspeakable acts of violence in Mexico to further its goal of flooding the United States with dangerous and deadly narcotics,” said United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison. “We will continue our efforts to dismantle drug cartels by targeting their leadership and well as their soldiers, intercepting their narcotics and ill-gotten financial gains, and prosecuting those who provide the resources that allow the cartels to engage in acts of violence.”

The bust came as Mexico continues to increase pressure on the United States government to halt the southern flow of weapons, which they allege fuels much of the bloodshed within the country. The Mexican government launched a lawsuit against U.S. gun-makers in a U.S. court in August 2021, seeking billions of dollars in damages, alleging the companies facilitate the illegal trafficking of weapons.