Mexico announces capture of alleged drug lord
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Mexican police announced they captured alleged drug loard Carlos Beltran Leyva, media reported Sunday.
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The undated photo shows Carlos Beltran Leyva. The Mexican Department of Public Safety on Jan. 2, 2010 announced in a statement that police have captured alleged drug lord, Carlos Beltran Leyva. The capture, made in the Sinaloa provincial capital of Culiacan, came two weeks after drug-fighting troops had killed Carlos' brother Arturo Beltran Leyva. [Xinhua] |
Mexico's Public Safety Department said in a statement Saturday night that Carlos Beltran Leyva was arrested Wednesday in Culiacan, the capital of the Pacific coast state of Sinaloa, where he and several of his brothers were born and started their gang.
Carlos Leyva was found carrying two guns, several cartridges, and a false driver's license identifying him as "Carlos Gamez Orpineda", the department said. The drug loard later acknowledged he was Arturo Beltran Leyva's brother.
Carlos Leyva, 40, has been described by the Mexican police as a key member of the gang, and his brother Arturo Beltran Leyva, who is more powerful than hime and a reputed chief of the Beltran Leyva cartel, was killed in a shootout in the central city of Cuernavaca with government troops two weeks ago.
U.S. officials say the Beltran Leyva cartel has carried out heinous killings, including numerous beheadings. The gang also has had great success in buying off public officials and police to protect their business and get tips on planned military raids.
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said last month the U.S. was getting sporadic reports that there were plots to break Alfredo Beltran Leyva, who was a third brother of Carlos and arrested two years ago, out of prison.
Carlos's another brother, Mario, remains at large and is listed as one of Mexico's 24 most-wanted drug lords, with a 2 million U.S. dollars reward offered for his capture.
