Is powerful and violent Sinaloa cartel operating in Myrtle Beach area? Listen to video

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Is powerful and violent Sinaloa cartel operating in Myrtle Beach area? Listen to video

Reality Check is a Sun News series that holds those in power accountable, illuminates local issues and answers readers’ essential questions. Have a question or concern we can answer? Email *****@*****.tld.

Is one of the most powerful and violent drug trafficking organizations in the world operating out of the Myrtle Beach area?

According to a former police officer with gang experience, Myrtle Beach has turned into an operation center for the Sinaloa cartel, running beach shops and strip clubs for its ******** activity.

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is an organized crime syndicate based in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, which specializes in ******** drug trafficking and money laundering.

But has it really taken over the Myrtle Beach area?

On

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on “The Shawn Ryan Show,” Blake Cook, a former Fayetteville, North Carolina, police officer and tactical expert, said that the “Sinloa cartel runs Myrtle Beach.”

The discussion about the cartel in Myrtle Beach begins at 3:25:41 minutes into the five-hour interview.

A TikTok video on that segment has received nearly 33,000 views.

Cook goes on to explain that the cartel runs strip clubs, drugs and “anything that comes in and out of Myrtle Beach is the Sinaloa Cartel.” Cook even alleges that the beach stores in the city are operated by the cartel.

When asked how he knows they are cartel, Cook responds that “we just know they operate out of Myrtle Beach.”

Cook is listed as the director of law enforcement operations and lead instructor

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, which offers tactical training and courses for civilians and law enforcement. He worked for eight years as a police officer for the City of Fayetteville.

Cook goes on to say that anything regarding drugs or guns is being filtered through the cartel, mainly because they operate off of Interstate 95. Cook pointed out that halfway from New York City and Miami on I-95 is Fayetteville.

A message left for Cook asking for an interview was not immediately returned.

Is the claim true about the drug cartel running Myrtle Beach?

Thomas Bell, spokesperson with Horry County Police, said by text that there are no specifics on any activity related to the Sinaloa Cartel operating in Horry County.

“There have been past arrests made of individuals in Horry County with ties to cartels,” but there are no specifics on any activity related to the Sinaloa Cartel operating in Horry County, said Horry County spokesperson Thomas Bell by text.

Horry County Police Department has dedicated narcotics, street crimes, and gang units that work to identify members of various gangs and disrupt organized crime activity, Bell said. HCPD works closely with the state and federal partners on gang cases and operations as well, he said.

In an earlier inteview with Horry County Police Chief Kris Leonhardt, Leonhardt did not say what specific gangs are operating in the county when asked, but did say that the units have been able to identify several groups that are here.

Area law enforcement, including Myrtle Beach, has confirmed the existence of gangs but not much more is known about who they are or what criminal activity they are involved in. Police have been evasive when identifying what gangs are in the Myrtle Beach area, although cases continue to happen involving gangs and gang-related activity, many of those resulting in deaths.

When asked about the video, Randolph Angotti, a spokesperson with the Myrtle Beach Police, said by text, “We are fortunate to consistently work with our local, state and federal partners to address any and all drug or gun related cases regardless of who is involved or responsible for them.”

“This is evident by our partnerships and support we receive from our law enforcement partners,” Angotti wrote.

Fifteenth Circuit Solicitor

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that drugs and gangs could be tied to 75% of criminal activity in Horry County. Richardson did say that there are divisions of Bloods, Crips, Gangster Disciples and Folk Nation in the Myrtle Beach area, but they are loosely tied to the national gangs.

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#powerful #violent #Sinaloa #cartel #operating #Myrtle #Beach #area #Listen #video

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