MEXICO: A dramatic army operation nabs suspected cartel leader 'El 85' from the upcoming New Generation of Jalisco gang, following a recent spate of dramatic drugs violence in Mexico's second largest city of Guadalajara

Record ID: 304885

  • Title: MEXICO: A dramatic army operation nabs suspected cartel leader 'El 85' from the upcoming New Generation of Jalisco gang, following a recent spate of dramatic drugs violence in Mexico's second largest city of Guadalajara
  • Date: 13th March 2012
  • Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (MARCH 12, 2012) (REUTERS) ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) VARIOUS OF SUSPECT ERICK VALENCIA, ALIAS "EL 85", ARRIVING AT MEDIA PRESENTATION ESCORTED BY SOLDIERS WEAPONS SEIZED DURING ARREST SUSPECTED ACCOMPLICE FOR VALENCIA ARRIVING AT MEDIA PRESENTATION SEIZED WEAPONS AT MEDIA PRESENTATION GENERAL VIEW OF MEDIA PRESENTATION SEIZED WEAPONS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S SPOKESPERSON GUILLERMINA CABRERA AND ARMY SPOKESPERSON GENERAL RICARDO TREVILLA ARRIVING AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARMY SPOKESPERSON, GENERAL RICARDO TREVILLA, SAYING: "In Zapopan, Jalisco soldiers from the Mexican army detained Erick Valencia Salazar, alias 'El 85', suspected of being the leader for the New Generation Jalisco cartel, the result of a precision operation with the aim of destabilising the (cartel's) command structure and logistics of the criminal group." CABRERA AND TREVILLA DURING PRESENTATION (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARMY SPOKESPERSON, GENERAL RICARDO TREVILLA SAYING: "Under his (Valencia Salazar) orders the New Generation Jalisco cartel has expanded into Michoacan, Guerrero and Veracruz to go up against rivals. In some states they have gone up against the Zetas which culminated in September 2011 in Veracruz with the execution of 35 people." VALENCIA SALAZAR DURING PRESENTATION SEIZED WEAPONS SUSPECTED ACCOMPLICE OF VALENCIA SEIZED WEAPONS SUSPECTED ACCOMPLICE GUARDED BY SOLDIERS VALENCIA DURING PRESENTATION SEIZED WEAPONS VARIOUS OF SUSPECTS ESCORTED BY SOLDIERS OUTSIDE OF MEDIA PRESENTATION
  • Embargoed: 28th March 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Mexico, Mexico
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Crime
  • Reuters ID: LVA9EA8G0ZMOIWTWUDR2EGDP2YWV
  • Story Text: Soldiers in Mexico City on Monday (March 11) presented an alleged leader of the New Generation of Jalisco drug gang believed to have run drugs operations in the Pacific state and with suspected links to dozens of homicides across the country.
    Erick Valencia, alias "El 85", is believed to have inherited the leadership of the gang shortly after the death of previous cartel chief Coronel Villareal in 2010.
    The suspect was captured along with two alleged accomplices after a dramatic army operation on Friday (March 09) closed in on the men. Opening fire on approaching soldiers, they were eventually arrested and dozens of heavy assault rifles and nearly 200 ammunition rounds seized.
    Authorities say the arrest is a blow to the cartel's operations.
    "In Zapopan, Jalisco soldiers from the Mexican army detained Erick Valencia Salazar, alias "El 85", suspected of being the leader for the New Generation Jalisco cartel, the result of a precision operation with the aim of destabilising the (cartel's) command structure and logistics of the criminal group," said army spokesperson, General Ricardo Trevilla.
    The upcoming New Generation of Jalisco cartel expanded to other states of Mexico under Valencia's reign. Affiliated with top Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and his Sinaloa Gang, they launched operations against against drug rivals such as the brutal Zetas.
    Violence between the two cartels culminated in the dumping of 35 bodies on a busy highway in Veracruz last year.
    "Under his (Valencia Salazar) orders the New Generation Jalisco cartel has expanded into Michoacan, Guerrero and Veracruz to go up against rivals. In some states they have gone up against the Zetas which culminated in September 2011 in Veracruz with the execution of 35 people," added Trevilla.
    Valencia comes from a family line of drug traffickers with two of his brothers currently in jail for their roles in the New Generation of Jalisco cartel. In recent years the drug gang has struggled against incursions and arrests from authorities and powerful rivals moving in on their traditional turf.
    Following Valencia's dramatic arrest last week, cartel members retaliated by setting fire to buses throughout the city of Guadalajara, paralysing peak hour traffic in Mexico's second largest city.
    The recent spate of violence came as the city hosted the famed Guadalajara Film Festival, the country's largest.
    More than 47,000 people have been killed in Mexico in the past five years since President Felipe Calderon launched an army-backed offensive against drug gangs shortly after taking office. Calderon has focused on targeting kingpins, capturing or killing many major drug cartel figures.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register