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The Cuban-Mexican businessman Juan Carlos Minero Alonso, the main shareholder and director of the financial firm Black Wallstreet Capital (BWC), was arrested again this Tuesday, May 27, in Mexico City for his alleged involvement in organized crime and money laundering.
The capture was carried out by elements of the Federal Ministerial Police and the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC) of the Attorney General's Office (FGR), with support from the National Guard, as revealed by the local press.
Arrest and charges
According to the National Arrest Registry, Minero Alonso, 35 years old, was captured at 10:55 a.m. in the Mexican capital and was transferred to the Federal Social Rehabilitation Center number 1, Altiplano, in Almoloya de Juárez, State of Mexico.
During the initial hearing, presided over by Judge Gregorio Salazar Hernández, preventive detention was ordered against the businessman.
La FGR le imputó los delitos mencionados, mientras Minero Alonso se reservó su derecho a declarar y solicitó duplicidad del término constitucional, por lo que será hasta el próximo lunes cuando se decida si será vinculado a proceso.
Research Background: Serious Accusations
The investigation against BWC dates back to February 2022, when a suspected former member of the Norte del Valle cartel in Colombia reported that the financial house was operating as a front for money laundering and was involved in drug and arms trafficking.
The whistleblower claimed to have worked transporting cocaine, methamphetamine, and weapons in vehicles owned by Alfredo Benavidez Garza, alias "El Blacs," some of which had fake diplomatic plates.
The witness also implicated Eduard Gil Dardo, aka "El Boliqueso," alleged leader of a Colombian international drug trafficking network, and Juan Alberto Cardona García, aka "El Maiki," as responsible for transporting drugs using aircraft with false registration.
Mexican authorities conducted searches at various locations associated with the network, including a residence in Interlomas, State of Mexico, and an office in the Anzures neighborhood of Mexico City, where BWC operated.
During these actions, firearms, luxury vehicles with diplomatic plates, high-end watches, and compromising documents were seized.
International drug trafficking network
A joint investigation coordinated by journalists from Aristegui Noticias, Mexicanos Contra la Corrupción y la Impunidad, Quinto Elemento Lab, Narcodiario, and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) revealed that Minero Alonso's partners at BWC had been under investigation for years in Mexico, Colombia, Spain, and the Netherlands.
The modus operandi involved sending tons of cocaine and methamphetamine to Europe, concealed in concrete blocks through the ports of Barcelona and Amsterdam between 2011 and 2021.
The financial company would have been the instrument to channel 15 billion pesos coming from drug trafficking, according to journalists Lilia Saúl Rodríguez and Juan Omar Fierro.
2023 raid and scandal over million-dollar theft
On March 15, 2023, a raid on the BWC offices in the Anzures neighborhood by the Attorney General's Office and the Citizen Security Secretariat of Mexico City resulted in the arrest of five individuals, including Minero Alonso.
However, due to irregularities in the procedure and reports of the theft of 70 million pesos in cash, the detainees were released, and eight public officials involved in the operation were arrested for alleged acts of corruption.
The new arrest of Juan Carlos Minero Alonso has generated significant attention, not only due to the business profile of the detainee but also because of the transnational ramifications of the financial and criminal network in which he was allegedly operating.
The upcoming hearing will be crucial in determining the legal situation of Minero Alonso, who, if linked to the proceedings, would face a lengthy judicial battle.
Frequently asked questions about the arrest of Cuban-Mexican businessman Juan Carlos Minero Alonso
Who is Juan Carlos Minero Alonso and why was he arrested?
Juan Carlos Minero Alonso is a Cuban-Mexican businessman and director of the financial firm Black Wallstreet Capital (BWC). He was arrested in Mexico City for his alleged involvement in organized crime and money laundering offenses.
What is Juan Carlos Minero Alonso's connection to organized crime?
According to investigations, Juan Carlos Minero Alonso is linked to an international drug trafficking network that used the financial house BWC as a front for money laundering and the trafficking of drugs and arms, in collaboration with members of Colombian cartels.
How did the money laundering network of Black Wallstreet Capital operate?
The network operated by sending drugs to Europe hidden in concrete blocks and channeled 15 billion pesos from drug trafficking through the financial firm Black Wallstreet Capital, according to investigations by journalists and law enforcement.
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