- Title: MEXICO: Mexican police arrest suspected drug boss "El Brad Pitt"
- Date: 17th June 2011
- Summary: CIUDAD JUAREZ, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO (FILE - JULY 15, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF POLICE VEHICLE ON FLAMES AFTER ATTACK ARMED POLICE ON ALERT IN STREET / FIRE ENGINE IN BACKGROUND MORE OF POLICE VEHICLE ON FLAMES AMBULANCE ARRIVING AT SCENE MORE OF VEHICLE ON FLAMES POLICEMEN AT SCENE OF ATTACK VARIOUS OF FIREMAN HOSING DOWN POLICE VEHICLE VARIOUS OF STREET WHERE ATTACK TOOK PLACE MORE AMBULANCES ARRIVING AT SCENE
- Embargoed: 2nd July 2011 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Mexico, Mexico
- Country: Mexico
- Reuters ID: LVA1JUQC492T3VL7R2EFMMTFI4X7
- Story Text: Mexican police arrested a suspected drug boss, blaming him for much of the violence terrorizing the border city of Ciudad Juarez, on Thursday (June 16).
Police captured Marco Antonio Guzman Zuniga, known as "El Brad Pitt" or "El Dos" (Number Two), in Chihuahua state.
Guzman Zuniga is believed to be one of the leaders of "La Linea," (The Line) the armed wing of the Juarez cartel, run by Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, alias "El Viceroy," which is fighting rivals for smuggling routes into the United States.
In a brief police presentation to reporters, Ramon Pequeno Garcia, Head of the Narcotics Division of the Federal Police said Chihuahua state offered $500,000 pesos (approx. $42,000 dollars) for information leading to his capture.
Previous arrests of other "La Linea" cartel members led to his capture.
Chihuahua has become Mexico's most violent state since President Felipe Calderon launched his drug war four years ago. In and around Ciudad Juarez, across the border from El Paso, Texas, some 9,300 people have died in drug violence since January 2008, when Mexico's top trafficker Joaquin "Shorty" Guzman made a push to control the city and its lucrative smuggling routes.
Guzman Zuniga coordinated criminal activities for the cartel mainly in Chihuahua City and Ciudad Juarez.
"He also received support from specialized groups in different criminal activities, such a car theft, homicides of rival group members and policemen who declined helping the cartel. Marco Antonio Guzman Zuniga, from Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua was 34 years-old and a former municipal police officer, was also responsible for cooperating with authorities at different government levels, who helped and provided support in his criminal activities. He also coordinated criminal activities at the state prison in Chihuahua."
Pequeno added Guzman Zuniga was connected with a cell phone-detonated car bomb that killed four people in a city on the U.S. border on July 15, 2010.
"He is allegedly linked to a great number of attacks and homicides by orders of "El Diego" and Vicente Carrillo, including the following: The attack on federal police installations in Ciudad Juarez and the car bomb attack on July 15, 2010. In May, 2011, he allegedly took part in the killing of a man which was filmed and uploaded to internet."
He is also connected with the murder of two police commanders and their bodyguards.
Guzman Zuniga was arrested together with another two suspects who controlled safety houses and warehouses for the cartel, according to police.
Drug violence has killed more than 44,000 people across the country since December 2006. - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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