00:00There's Acting Assistant Director of the FBI, Darren Cox.
00:05Hi, good afternoon. I'm Darren Cox and the Acting Assistant Director of the FBI's Criminal
00:13Investigative Division. I want to thank our partners here with us today and our international
00:18partners for their hard work and partnership in combating transnational organized crime,
00:24which threatens the safety and security of communities both in the United States and abroad.
00:31Under Director Patel's leadership, the FBI is focused more than ever on crushing violent crime,
00:39cartels, and gang activity every single day. Since January, the FBI, with the help of our law
00:46enforcement partners and community members, have arrested three top 10 fugitives. We've arrested
00:52over 19,000 criminals and we've seized thousands of tons of narcotics, which have saved millions of
01:00lives across the United States. The American public and criminals should know our agents and our
01:08partners are using every tool available to keep criminals, put criminals behind bars and keep
01:17America safe. And we will not stop. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the men and women of law
01:24enforcement backing good cops without hesitation. They're taking the fight directly to the criminals
01:32and they're restoring order. These efforts are a deliberate and coordinated plan to protect our
01:40communities and confront escalating threats from foreign terrorist organizations like Viva Unsoon and its
01:48associates. Tackling these networks means addressing every link in the chain, every cell, especially in the
01:58United States. As you've heard in today's announcement, that includes a $5 million reward for key members of
02:05Viva Unsoon and Jimmy Shazir, also known as barbecue. We know someone has information that can help end this
02:14violence and we want them to come forward and know that they are safe in doing so. Today, I want to highlight the
02:22amazing work the FBI and our law enforcement partners do every day to disrupt and dismantle violent criminal
02:29networks just like that of barbecue and his cronies. Our FBI Miami office has worked closely with our
02:38international partners to track down Shazir and his Viva Unsoon partners and associates in the United States.
02:48On July 23rd, one of Shazir's most trusted associates and a named co-conspirator was taken into custody.
02:56Brazier Richardson was investigated by Miami and he was arrested by our FBI Houston office without incident.
03:06Violent actors like Shazir and the rest of his criminal associates must understand there is no safe haven for
03:14them and the people like them that traffic violence in our communities. The FBI and our partners will
03:22continue to leverage all of the resources available and the expertise that we have to bring these people
03:29to justice. We urge anybody with information related to Shazir or any of his criminal network to contact
03:37the FBI through our tips line or our local field office. You can also call 1-800-FBI and you can go
03:46online to fbi.gov backslash tips. Together we will stop this violence. Thank you.
