During a military operation in northwestern Mexico, security forces arrested one of the sons of captured drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Ovidio Guzmán has been arrested in the town of Culiacán in Sinaloa state, Mexican media reported unanimously on Thursday, citing security circles.
Ovidio Guzmán followed in the footsteps of “El Chapo”. After his father’s arrest, he and his brothers took over part of the Sinaloa Cartel. He was considered one of the main dealers of the drug fentanyl in the Latin American country.
Guzmán was arrested once in 2019, but later released on orders from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to avoid fierce fighting between criminals and security forces.
Violent clashes between gangs and police
After the entry on Thursday, there were violent clashes between suspected gang members and security forces in Culiacan. Suspects blocked buses and trucks in the street and set the vehicles on fire. Schools and public buildings were closed. Governor Rubén Rocha Moya called on people to stay at home.
Fierce firefights broke out in several parts of the city. The firefight spread to the airport, where air traffic had to be grounded, according to an AFP reporter. Panic broke out in the city of 800,000 in northwestern Mexico and people fled for protection.
“El Chapo” smuggled tons of drugs
Guzmán’s father “El Chapo” was one of the most powerful drug dealers in the world. The former head of the Sinaloa cartel smuggled tons of cocaine and heroin into the US and made billions from it. He is also believed to have been responsible for up to 3,000 murders.
He escaped from maximum security prisons in Mexico twice. After his final arrest, he was extradited to the United States and sentenced to life imprisonment.
US President Joe Biden is expected to visit Mexico in a few days. The US government had offered a $5 million reward for the capture of Ovidio Guzmán, also known as “The Mouse”. (AFP/SDA)