Reputed drug cartel associate 'El Zucaritas' arrested

by Daniel Borunda \ El Paso Times
Posted: 06/19/2011 09:10:37 AM MDT

The Mexican army has captured a man believed to be a close associate of a reputed leader in La Linea drug organization.

Mexico's National Defense Secretariat on Friday evening said soldiers captured Jose Guadalupe Rivas Gonzalez, alias "El Zucaritas," who was described as being the closest associate of Jose Antonio "El Diego" Acosta Hernandez.

Acosta reputedly runs operations for La Linea in Chihuahua City and Juárez and has arguably become the most-wanted man in the state of Chihuahua.

The Mexican government has set up "wanted" billboards in Chihuahua offering a reward of 15 million pesos (about $1.2 million) for information that leads to Acosta's capture.

Acosta is also sought by the U.S. government for allegedly being involved in the killing of three people linked to the U.S. Consulate in Juárez.

Military officials said in a statement that Rivas was armed with an AK-47 and had about 10 pounds of marijuana when he was captured by soldiers in Chihuahua City. The date of Rivas' capture was not disclosed. He has been handed over to federal organized crime investigators.

Rivas' nickname, "Zucaritas," is the Spanish name for Frosted Flakes.

Last week, Mexican federal police captured another reputed high-ranking member of La Linea.

Marco Antonio Guzmán Zúñiga, also known as "El Dos" and "El Brad Pitt," was arrested Wednesday in Chihuahua City. Police officials described Guzmán as a cartel lieutenant who served as Acosta's right-hand man.

For more than three years, La Linea, as the Juárez drug cartel is known, has been in vicious war with the Sinaloa drug cartel for control of Juárez and other parts of Chihuahua for their lucrative drug routes into the United States.

Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com; 546-6102.

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