Harris Co. deputies raid chop shop and 2 other cartel-related spots, sheriff's office says

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The Harris County Sheriff's Office and state troopers carried out multiple cartel-related raids in north Houston on Thursday.

SWAT teams busted three spots, and according to the sheriff, investigators recovered 14 stolen vehicles worth $1 million.

The biggest bust was on Leago Street off Yale near West Tidwell.

It's a residential street that ends in a dead end, with high-end vehicles and their parts strewn across a large field.

They're called chop shops, which look like auto repair businesses. However, the vehicles are stolen, and workers often sell parts individually, so they can't be easily tracked.

The Leago Street location is one of three places that investigators said they raided.

They also raided a spot in the 100 block of Gulf Bank Road and another in the 11000 block of United Street.

They arrested at least five people, and others were taken in for questioning.

"We did have one person who fled, but we were able to get him into custody," HCSO Major Saul Suarez said. "A pretty smooth (warrant) execution."

Suarez said the chop shops raided are tied to Cártel de Jalisco Nueva Generación, and authorities had been investigating for more than six months.

"So, we know that it's a root that's tied to several other organized crimes, and violent crimes, aggravated assaults. So, this is something that we take very seriously, and when you factor all that on top of being associated with auto thefts," Suarez said.

On Monday, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced 41 drug trafficking arrests associated with the same cartel.

"The CJNG is one of the most powerful and dangerous criminal organizations in Mexico, characterized by extreme violence and trafficking of the most deadly of substances," U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani said at Monday's news conference.

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