Alleged kingpin of Sinaloa Cartel is captured in Mexico

Yesterday, elements of the Navy, the Attorney General’s Office (PGR), and the Federal Police were able to arrest Ángel Humberto Chávez Gastélum, one of the most wanted drug dealers in both Mexico and the United States , according to the governor Francisco Domínguez Servién .

The government official said that it is not yet known whether the detainees were living in Querétaro or just passing by. Members of the gendarmerie, the Navy, PGR, and Interpol participated in the operation, which led to the arrest of Chávez Gastélum, also known as “El Netflix” at a restaurant on the Bernardo Quintana Boulevard.

“Last night [Tuesday] there was an operative from federal forces at the request of the California Court in the United States . As you know, they usually don’t give notice of this kind of operation, they only ask us to guard the perimeter, which is what we did,” stated Domínguez Servién.

The governor stated that there were seven arrests and that Gastélum was arrested along with his son. The drug dealer has now been transferred to a maximum security prison, where he is currently awaiting extradition to the United States. “We don’t know whether he was just visiting Querétaro and decided to stop and grab a bite, but his capture was the result of intelligence and our federal forces. He stands accused of organized crime and drug trafficking,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, the secretary of Citizen Security, Juan Marcos Granados Torres , informed that the operation was undertaken by federal authorities only and lasted around two hours.

Criminal record

Known as Don Ángel, Rolex, or “Netflix,” Ángel Humberto is thought to be the new leader of the Sinaloa Cartel , and was one of the 30 drug lords most wanted by U.S. authorities .

According to the indictment by the U.S. Justice Department , the suspect handled the supply of tons of cocaine and methamphetamine produced in South American labs to the criminal group that was once led by Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán for their transport and distribution in the United States. He worked alongside his partner, Colombian Víctor Hugo Cuéllar-Silva , who was processed in the city of Los Angeles.

The immense amounts of cocaine were being transported by plane, submarines, and speedboats to Mexico , through routes controlled by Ángel Humberto from Colombia to Central America and into the United States. The drugs were mostly distributed in the city of Los Angeles.

According to an investigation from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) , the drugs were sent through the Tijuana-San Ysidro crossing , where over 3.5 tons of cocaine have been seized.

“El Netflix” is wanted by the Federal District Court in Central California for his probable involvement in crimes against public health, organized crime, and murder, among other charges . Should he be found guilty in the United States, he could receive a life sentence.

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