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Crime Latin America World

Mexico Arrests Two Drug Lords, Deports Another, Amid Sinaloa Violence

Mexico Arrests Two Drug Lords, Deports Another, Amid Sinaloa Violence
Source: AFP
  • PublishedDecember 18, 2024

Mexican authorities have arrested two high-profile drug lords and deported a third as part of intensified security operations in Sinaloa state, which has been plagued by intense violence between warring cartel factions, Bloomberg reports.

Crescensio Moreno, who was the subject of an FBI warrant, was apprehended in Sinaloa after a car chase, according to a government spokesperson. Police discovered plastic bags containing blue pills in his vehicle. Moreno is alleged to be involved in a large-scale drug trafficking organization.

In a separate operation, Hernan Domingo Ojeda Lopez, alias “El Mero Mero,” was arrested. Authorities found a handgun and two bags of fentanyl pills in his possession. Lopez, reportedly linked to the family of infamous drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, is accused of trafficking fentanyl to the United States.

In related actions, Mexican authorities also announced 10 arrests across multiple states for involvement in a human trafficking network targeting migrants. Furthermore, Osiel Cardenas Guillen, wanted for alleged homicides and public health-related crimes, was deported from the US and subsequently arrested in Mexico.

The escalating violence in Sinaloa, which saw 202 people killed and 234 reported missing in a 30-day period ending mid-October according to the local outlet Espejo, has put significant pressure on President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration to bolster security and restore order. These arrests and the deportation represent a concerted effort to address the crisis and curb the influence of drug cartels in the region.

Written By
Michelle Larsen