MEXICO: Mexican authorities confirm arrest of the alleged leader of the Gulf Cartel, Mario Ramirez Trevino, known as X-20 or "The Bald One."

Record ID: 184447

  • Title: MEXICO: Mexican authorities confirm arrest of the alleged leader of the Gulf Cartel, Mario Ramirez Trevino, known as X-20 or "The Bald One."
  • Date: 18th August 2013
  • Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (AUGUST 18, 2013) (REUTERS) MEXICAN GOVERNMENT SECURITY OFFICE SPOKESPERSON EDUARDO SANCHEZ ENTERS NEWS CONFERENCE NEWS CONFERENCE PHOTOGRAPHER AT NEWS CONFERENCE SANCHEZ AT PODIUM (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN GOVERNMENT SECURITY OFFICE SPOKESPERSON, EDUARDO SANCHEZ SAYING: "Yesterday, on August 17, the Mexican military captured in the vicinity of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mario Armando Ramirez Trevino, alleged leader of a criminal group accused of committing crimes against health, kidnapping and organized crime, among others. At the moment of his arrest three long range weapons were found on him that are exclusively for military use, nine cellular telephones and over $38 million dollars (US), 25 thousand pesos and 11 centenarios (Mexican gold commemorative coins)." PHOTOGRAPHERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 2nd September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAOYU4006B27PLH3090ZFF7K2F
  • Story Text: Mexican authorities confirmed Sunday (August 18) the arrest of Mario Ramirez Trevino, known as X-20 or "The Bald One," who they said headed the notorious Gulf Cartel.
    According to authorities, on Saturday (August 17), Mexican security forces caught the leader of the cocaine-trafficking Gulf Cartel, the second major gang boss capture in just over a month as President Enrique Pena Nieto fights cartel violence.
    Mario Ramirez Trevino, known as X-20 or "The Bald One," was captured in Mexico's northern Tamaulipas state on Saturday morning, according to a government statement.
    "He is considered to be one of those most responsible for the violence generating in Tamaulipas, said Eduardo Sanchez, the spokesperson for the Mexican government security office.
    "This person is characterized for his use of extreme violence and he is most likely responsible for ordering attacks with weapons and explosives against police installations causing the deaths of a number of elements (policemen) and he has also been shown to be the intellectual author of various kidnappings, particularly two in the state of Veracruz."
    Officials said Ramirez had not long been the leader of the Gulf Cartel, whose former boss Jorge Costilla, alias "El Coss," was caught in September.
    The Gulf Cartel's power has waned in recent years in a feud with Mexico's most brutal gang, the Zetas, which began life providing protection to the cartel's operations in northeastern Mexico.
    The U.S. government had offered a $5 million bounty for Ramirez, as Washington says his cartel controls most of the cocaine and marijuana trafficking to the United States from Matamoros in Tamaulipas state.
    Mexico's marines last month arrested the leader of the Zetas, Miguel Angel Trevino, a few miles (km) from his hometown of Nuevo Laredo on the U.S. border.
    More than 70,000 people were killed during former president Felipe Calderon's six-year offensive against drug cartels and over 6,000 have died since Pena Nieto took office in December.
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