Son Of Notorious Drug Lord ‘El Chapo’ Arrested In Mexican Military Operation

Mexican security forces on Thursday arrested the son of jailed drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, scoring a high-profile win in the fight against powerful cartels days before US President Joe Biden visits.

Ovidio Guzman, nicknamed “El Raton” (The Mouse), was caught in the northwestern city of Culiacan and flown to Mexico City on a military plane, Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval said.

According to him, the arrest was the result of six months of intelligence work tracking down the 32-year-old, who has allegedly helped to run his father’s operations since El Chapo was extradited to the United States in 2017.

The United States had offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Ovidio Guzman’s capture, accusing him of being a major player in the infamous Sinaloa cartel.

Gunfire and arson shook Culiacan after the arrest, which comes as Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is set to welcome Biden next week for a North America leaders’ summit in Mexico City where security is expected to be high on the agenda.

A National Guardsman was killed and at least 28 people were wounded in the violence, Sinaloa state governor Ruben Rocha said, while school classes were suspended and sporting events in Culiacan were canceled.

Cartel gunmen set autos and trucks ablaze at various intersections in the city, and authorities reported 19 roadblocks.