Staff Reports
Federal authorities recently apprehended a former beauty queen and two bank employees in Indiana for teaming up with a Mexican cartel to bring drugs into the United States. The U.S. Justice Department disclosed that the trio is accused of moving large amounts of cocaine into the country and laundering millions of dollars in profits. The indictment, made public on Friday, also alleges that a flight attendant from Lafayette, Ind., named Glenis Zapata helped transport drug proceeds for the traffickers on commercial airline flights.
REPORT: Feds Arrest Beauty Queen In Major Cartel Drug Bust https://t.co/HlnKK07hxO
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 24, 2024
Before her role as a flight attendant, Zapata held the title of 2011’s Miss Indiana Latina. She supposedly misused her position with a “Known Crew Member” badge to aid the cartel in moving cash drug proceeds from the Midwest to the southern U.S. and Mexico. The operation reportedly utilized semi-trailer trucks and private charter planes to transport the illegal substances.
Charges have been brought against Ilenis Zapata and Georgina Banuelos as well for their involvement in laundering drug proceeds by exchanging lower denomination bills for higher ones. The press release did not clarify the relationship between Glenis and Ilenis, even though they were referred to as sisters by ABC7. This drug trafficking scheme spanned over multiple years, with wholesale quantities of cocaine being transported from Mexico to cities like Chicago.
The case was part of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, with agencies like the DEA, IRS, Homeland Security, and Customs and Border Protection collaborating on the arrests. Earlier in November 2021, three cartel members linked to the operation were caught in Gary, Indiana, arriving on a private jet with suitcases filled with cocaine. They have since been sentenced and imprisoned.
This news serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against drug trafficking and the importance of securing our borders. It highlights the need for stringent enforcement measures to combat the influence of dangerous cartels operating within our country. Such criminal activities not only endanger lives but also underscore the necessity of a robust justice system to hold those responsible fully accountable for their actions.
