MEXICO – Anel Violeta Noriega Rios, 27, the alleged operative of a Mexican criminal cartel is now in custody in Mexico after being arrested in California last week.

Known by her alias “La Bonita” or “The Pretty One”, she was the subject of a five million-peso reward by Mexican authorities. She has been at large since a 64-page criminal warrant was issued in January 2010 in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

Rios is an alleged member of La Familia cartel based in the Mexican state of Michoacan but she operated from the U.S.

Mexican authorities have reported that Noriega Rios helped oversee the cartel’s methamphetamine distribution activities in California and Washington state.

The cartel also is allegedly engaged in cocaine and marijuana trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, and producing methamphetamine for export to the United States.

Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) officers and U.S. marshals arrested Noriega Rios last week at her El Monte, California residence.

Noriega Rios was arrested on “administrative immigration violations.” Two days later she was turned over to Mexican authorities at the border crossing in San Ysidro, California where she will face charges listed in her 64-page warrant.

Last month, coordination between US and Mexican officials led to the indictment of 14 in connection to a horse racing scheme in New Mexico, which was being used to launder drug money.

Records from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security show that Noriega Rios had been arrested and repatriated to Mexico five times between 2004 and 2005. However, according to ICE officials, she had no U.S. criminal convictions.