Federal officials capture Mexican drug lord

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

KPBS Public Broadcasting

Federal officials have arrested one of Mexico's top drug kingpins who was a leader of Tijuana's violent Arellano-Felix cartel. KPBS Reporter Amy Isackson has details.

The U.S. Coast Guard captured Francisco Javier Arellano-Felix while he was deep sea fishing off the coast of Baja California on Monday afternoon. He is wanted in the United States and Mexico for his role as a leader of the Tijuana-based Arellano-Felix drug cartel, which also includes his seven brothers and four sisters. The cartel is responsible for scores of murders and is believed to be connected to elaborate tunnels used to smuggle drugs under the California Mexico border.

Law enforcement officials say they arrested two other suspected cartel assassins who were also on the fishing boat. One, nicknamed El Nalgon, is wanted for the murders of a prominent Tijuana journalist and a state prosecutor in 2004. Amy Isackson, KPBS News.

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