Mexico Navy arrests suspected drug kingpin
September 13th, 2010 - 8:28 am ICT by IANSMexico City, Sep 13 (DPA) Mexican marines Sunday said they had arrested Sergio Villareal Barragan, one of the country’s most-wanted drug traffickers.
Villareal Barragan, called “El Grande”, is believed to be a powerful leader of the Beltran Leyva cartel. The former policeman was arrested in the state of Puebla, southeast of Mexico City, television reports said.
His arrest comes a fortnight after the capture of another drug kingpin, Edgar Valdez Villarreal, or “Barbie”, who earlier belonged to the same cartel.
Barbie’s arrest was hailed as a major victory for the government in its war against the country’s powerful drug cartels.
Valdez had risen to become one of Mexico’s top drug lords on taking control over the cartel headed by Arturo Beltran Leyva, who was killed by soldiers trying to capture him in December.
Earlier this month, Mexican President Felipe Calderon said that in the nearly four years since he took office, 125 drug bosses have been arrested along with more than 5,100 foot soldiers of the cartels.
An estimated 8,000 people have died in Mexico since January in incidents linked to organized crime, according to official figures.
- Mexican authorites capture drug lord Sergio Villarreal Barragan "el Grande" - Sep 13, 2010
- Mexican federal police arrest drug kingpin Edgar Valdez Villareal - Aug 31, 2010
- Mexican Police Captures Drug Kingpin Edgar "La Barbie" Valdez Villarreal - Aug 31, 2010
- First woman joins Mexican navy's special forces - Dec 12, 2011
- Four bullet-riddled bodies found in Mexico - Aug 09, 2010
- Severed head left at tomb of Mexican drug lord - Jan 19, 2010
- Mexican gunman accused of over 100 killings arrested - Dec 21, 2009
- Mexican president says he received death threat - Aug 21, 2012
- Mexico nabs man for involvement in 35 killings - Feb 02, 2011
- Mexico, a hub for money laundering, still the main foreign supplier of drugs to the U.S. - Mar 03, 2010
- Mexican drug boss held - Jun 22, 2011
- Cartels have been weakened, says Mexican government - Dec 27, 2010
- Four Bodies Found Decapitated And Hung From Bridge In Mexico: Edgar Valdez's Name Emerges - Aug 23, 2010
- Suspect arrested in shooting of Paraguayan soccer star - Jan 20, 2011
- 30,000 drug war deaths in Mexico since 2006 - Dec 17, 2010
Tags: arturo beltran leyva, barbie, beltran, cartel, city television, dpa, drug cartels, drug kingpin, drug lords, drug traffickers, edgar valdez villarreal, foot soldiers, fortnight, marines, mexican president felipe calderon, mexico city, policeman, president felipe calderon, state of puebla, television reports