An alleged former leader of an extremely powerful drug cartel,Osiel Cardenas was arrested and incarcerated in a Mexican prison during March of 2003. Due to his imprisonment, Jorge Costilla-Sanchez, reportedly Cardenas's trusted lieutenant, is allegedly responsible for the daily operations of the drug cartel. Known as the Osiel Cardenas Guillen Organization or [*Filtered*]"Gulf Cartel," its primary goal is drug-trafficking. This large Mexican drug cartel is responsible for the smuggling and distribution of cocaine and marijuana, as well as the money laundering of proceeds from the distribution of these drugs. Over the last 20 years, the Gulf Cartel has transported multi-loads of marijuana and cocaine through Mexico to the United States. The drugs are then smuggled through various parts of the United States. Proceeds from the sales of these narcotics are in turn, sent back to Mexico for use by the Gulf Cartel. Additionally, crack cocaine and methamphetamines are smuggled as well. Though the Gulf Cartel's center of operations is in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, the cartel's controlling territory has expanded toward Reynosa, Mexico, along the northern U.S./Mexico border toward Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and surrounding communities.

On April 10, 2002, a federal arrest warrant was issued in the United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, Brownsville Division. Jorge Costilla-Sanchez was charged with a variety of dangerous drug offenses, threatening to assault and murder federal agents, money laundering, and aiding and abetting.