MEXICO: Police arrest suspected 'The Centre' cartel leader 'El Hongo' operating in Mexico City and on the outskirts

Record ID: 304454

  • Title: MEXICO: Police arrest suspected 'The Centre' cartel leader 'El Hongo' operating in Mexico City and on the outskirts
  • Date: 27th October 2011
  • Summary: TOLUCA, STATE OF MEXICO, MEXICO (OCTOBER 26, 2011) (REUTERS) (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) ADRIAN SORIA WALKING INTO NEWS CONFERENCE ESCORTED BY POLICEMEN SORIA HANDCUFFED BULLET-PROOF VEST SEIZED DURING ARREST VARIOUS OF SORIA DURING PRESENTATION BANNER WITH SORIA'S PHOTO THAT READS: "Arrested" GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) STATE OF MEXICO PROSECUTOR, ALFREDO CASTILLO, SAYING "Ramirez Soria, also known as "El Hongo" (the Mushroom) is identified as the leader of the "Centre" cartel and is one of the main stone and dust cocaine distributor operating in the state of Mexico, controlling the sale of drugs in eight municipalities of the Metropolitan area and in the state of Mexico." ARRESTED MEMBERS OF THE "CENTRE" CARTEL WALKING INTO NEWS CONFERENCE CARTEL MEMBERS DURING PRESENTATION SEIZED WEAPONS AND DRUGS MORE OF ARRESTED MEN DURING PRESENTATION (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) STATE OF MEXICO PROSECUTOR, ALFREDO CASTILLO, SAYING "The "Centre" cartel is a splinter group from the Beltran Leyva organisation. The Attorney General's office has linked the "Centre" cartel with 26 killings, including a beheading in the municipality of Ecatepec as well as several threatening messages left next to bodies on different occasions." VARIOUS OF ARRESTED MEN ARRESTED MEN BEING ESCORTED OUT OF NEWS CONFERENCE EXTERIOR OF ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE
  • Embargoed: 11th November 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico, Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Crime
  • Reuters ID: LVA8FPMVDC6TRI82B8O57SFMUAJX
  • Story Text: Mexican police on Wednesday (October 26) announced the capture of a senior crime boss known as "El Hongo" (the Mushroom) from "The Centre" cartel, operating in Mexico City and on the outskirts.
    According to authorities, Adrian Soria's cartel is linked with the killing of 26 people that took place on the outskirts of Mexico City, mainly to the north and north-east. They also said he was also a main drug supplier in Mexico City.
    "Ramirez Soria, also known as "El Hongo" (the Mushroom) is identified as the leader of the "Centre" cartel and is one of the main stone and dust cocaine distributor operating in the state of Mexico, controlling the sale of drugs in eight municipalities of the Metropolitan area and in the state of Mexico," said the state of Mexico Prosecutor, Alfredo Castillo.
    Castillo added Soria's cartel was a splinter group of the Beltran Leyva cartel.
    "The "Centre" cartel is a splinter group from the Beltran Leyva organisation. The Attorney General's office has linked the "Centre" cartel with 26 killings, including a beheading in the municipality of Ecatepec as well as several threatening messages left next to bodies on different occasions," Castillo added.
    After several months of investigation, Soria and his criminal group were arrested in the state of Mexico, on the outskirts of Mexico City.
    Officials from the Attorney General's office held a news conference to parade Soria and 12 other suspects to journalists to whom they also displayed weapons and drugs they said were seized from the men.
    Officials said Soria's cartel was fighting rival gangs such as "La Mano con Ojos" (the Hand with Eyes), La Familia and the Knights Templar cartel for control of Mexico City.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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