MEXICO: Authorities present arrested drug trafficker Sergio Villarreal, "El Grande" to the media

Record ID: 301572

  • Title: MEXICO: Authorities present arrested drug trafficker Sergio Villarreal, "El Grande" to the media
  • Date: 14th September 2010
  • Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (SEPTEMBER 13, 2010) (REUTERS) **FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY** VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS SUSPECTS, INCLUDING SERGIO VILLARREAL, "EL GRANDE" (WITH BEARD AND WEARING BLACK T-SHIRT), ENTERING ROOM VARIOUS OF SUSPECTS, INCLUDING "EL GRANDE" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN NAVY SPOKESMAN, JOSE LUIS VERGARA, SAYING: "Navy personnel secured Sergio Enrique Villareal Barragan, "El Grande" - who was the principle operator of the Beltran Leyva criminal organization and was at the same hierarchal level as Edgar Valdez Villarreal, "La Barbie", who was also recently arrested. In this same operation, two other people named Jesus Enrique Jurado and Ramiro Cisneros Aguirre were also arrested." VARIOUS OF SUSPECTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VERGARA SAYING: "They have been linked to seven other investigations by the Attorney General's office. They also had warrants out for their arrest for violating the federal law against organized crime and for alleged crimes against health, life and corporal integrity." CAMERAS GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) VERGARA SAYING: "During the operation, there was not resistance on the part of the three people arrested. Approximately 30 elements of the Mexican Navy participated directly." VARIOUS OF SUSPECTS LEAVING
  • Embargoed: 29th September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Reuters ID: LVAA38U0BNCRU4YVAUM6CE52XV87
  • Story Text: Mexican marines captured a top lieutenant of a leading drug cartel on Sunday (September 12) and presented him to the media on Monday (September 13).
    Sergio Villarreal, dubbed "El Grande," was a leading member of the Beltran Leyva cartel and did not resist capture when dozens of marines using armored vehicles cornered him at a safe house in the central Mexican city of Puebla, according to navy officials.
    "Navy personnel secured Sergio Enrique Villareal Barragan, "El Grande" - who was the principle operator of the Beltran Leyva criminal organization and was at the same hierarchal level as Edgar Valdez Villarreal, "La Barbie", who was also recently arrested. In this same operation, two other people named Jesus Enrique Jurado and Ramiro Cisneros Aguirre were also arrested," said Mexican Navy spokesperson Jose Luis Vergara.
    The Beltran Leyva cartel has suffered several recent setbacks since marines in December killed the leader of the gang, Arturo Beltran Leyva, and Edgar "La Barbie" Valdez was captured late last month.
    Vergara said the suspects had been on the navy's radar for some time.
    "They have been linked to seven other investigations by the Attorney General's office. They also had warrants out for their arrest for violating the federal law against organized crime and for alleged crimes against health, life and corporal integrity," he said.
    The cartel leadership is believed to be in disarray with the killing and capture of many leading figures in the last ten months.
    More than 28,000 people have died since Mexican President Felipe Calderon launched his crackdown on drug cartels in 2006.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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