Despite currently being plagued by swine flu, police in Mexico have apprehended one of the most notorious drug criminals.
Gregorio Sauceda Gamboa, of the notorious ‘Los Zetas’ drugs gang, was arrested in a raid on a house in the city of Matamoros, near the US border. He is accused of being one of the kingpins of the armed wing of the Mexican Gulf Cartel.
As well as being on a list of most wanted drugs suspects in Mexico, he is also wanted by the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
“Gregorio Sauceda Gamboa is accused of being active in organised crime,” said Mexican interior ministry spokesman Javier Del Real Magallanes. “He is charged with violating federal laws regarding the possession of firearms and explosives.”
Police wore full SWAT gear and blue facemasks during the siege to protect themselves from the swine flu pandemic currently plaguing Mexico. After he was detained, Mr Gamboa was also given a mask before being flown to Mexico City.
The accused is thought to have founded ‘Los Zetas’. The gang is made up entirely of former military personnel. The group participated in activities such as drug trafficking, prostitution and human trafficking. It gained notoriety after gang members took to beheading their rivals.
During the raid, police confiscated several weapons of varying calibre and arrested Mr Gamboa’s wife.
In the last two years, more than 8,000 people have died as a direct result of the drug wars in Mexico. More than 40,000 Mexican soldiers were deployed at the beginning of this year in the most dangerous areas in an attempt to combat the crime.
