Sep 04, 2012

Top leader of Gulf drug cartel captured in Mexico

By Michael Winter, USA TODAY
Updated 2h 54m ago

Flanked y ican marines, Mario Cardenas Guillen, one of two top leaders of the Gulf drugrtel,as presented to the media Tuesday in Mexico City
CAPTION

By Yuri Cortez, AFP/Getty Images

One of the two top leaders of the Gulf Cartel has been captured by Mexican marines, according to news reports.Mario Cardenas Guillen, known as "El Gordo" (Fatso), was seized today in Altamira, in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, across the border from Texas, said Navy spokesman Jose Luis Vergara, the Associated Press says. A source tells Reuters, however, that he was captured Monday.

His brother Osiel was captured in 2003 and extradited in 2007 to the United States, where he was convicted of drug trafficking and other offenses and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Another brother, Antonio Ezequiel Cardenas Guillen, died in a November 2010 shootout with marines in Matamoros. After his death the cartel split in two, with one wing being run by Mario Cardenas and the other by a longtime lieutenant, Jorge Eduardo Costilla.

The Los Angeles Times writes that Mario Cardenas, wearing an armored vest, was paraded before Mexican media today.

The Gulf Cartel has waged a bloody, gruesome battle with the Zetas for control of drug trafficking.

Top leader of Gulf drug cartel captured in Mexico