Leading the law enforcement fight against violent Mexican drug cartels

The federal government struck a serious blow last October against a ruthless Mexican drug cartel that is responsible for distributing massive amounts of narcotics in the United States, smuggling cash and weapons back to Mexico and murdering Mexican law enforcement officials.

In a 20-state operation known as Project Coronado, 3,000 law enforcement officers arrested more than 1,200 associates of La Familia, seized more than one and a half tons of methamphetamine, $32 million in cash and 400 weapons in what was described as the largest strike ever against a Mexican drug cartel.

The head of this complex, multi-agency task force was Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Carl Pike, a man described by colleagues as providing the skills, strategy and guidance necessary to successfully execute the targeted raids and arrests.

"What stands out is Carl's personality and leadership," DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge James Soiles said. "He oversaw the broad interests of the law enforcement community, displayed phenomenal negotiating and planning skills, and facilitated collaboration between agencies and international partners that often had competing interests."

Project Coronado involved almost four years of planning and culminated in strikes in more than 50 cities on Oct. 21, 2009, including Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, and locations in California and North Carolina. The operation required extensive follow-up in the days and weeks afterward.

FBI Deputy Special Agent in Charge Willie Walker described Project Coronado as "the best run multi-agency initiative that I've had a role in."

"Carl provided the leadership and the vision," Walker said. "He introduced and shared creative approaches to defeat measures the cartel had in place to avoid detection."

After the arrests, Attorney General Eric Holder said the "unprecedented, coordinated U.S. law enforcement action" dealt a "significant blow to La Familia's supply chain of illegal drugs, weapons and cash flowing between Mexico and the United States."

La Familia is a heavily-armed, quasi-religious cult and drug cartel that uses violence to further its narcotics trafficking business, and is responsible for murders often by beheading, as well as kidnappings and military-style assaults on the police and civilian population of Mexico. It is one of the major traffickers of methamphetamine in the United States.

Pike and his team also have been involved in another major operation against the Mexican drug cartels known as Project Deliverance. The Justice Department announced last week that the 22- month effort so far has resulted in arrests of more than 2,200 people in 19 states on narcotics related charges.

Project Coronado and Project Deliverance are part of a broader joint U.S.-Mexican effort to combat drug trafficking and the violent Mexican cartels. Last month, President Obama met in Washington with Mexico President Felipe Calderon to discuss the deadly drug war. Obama said the United States shares responsibility for the drug problem, asserting that "a demand for these drugs in the United States is what is helping to keep these cartels in business."

Pike, who heads the largest section within DEA's Special Operations Division¿covering Mexico, Canada and Central America¿said "one of the big obstacles and notable successes was working with the Mexican government" during Project Coronado.