The Mexican army says it has arrested a key player in Sinaloa Drug Cartel in the northern city of Culiacán.
Jose Angel Canobbio, also known as “El Gürtito” (a little blond), is accused of being the man of Ayvan Archivado Guzman's right hand, one of the sons of a scandalous closed lord of Hoaquin “El Chapach” Guzman.
Mexican security forces claim that Canobio's arrest, who is said to have led the security for Ayvan Archival Guzman, is a heavy blow to the Sinaloa Cartel.
He was only captured hours after the United States added a Sinaloa cartel to his list of foreign terrorist organizations (FTOS), a move that the Trump administration says will allow him to fight better with criminal groups.
In addition to the Sinaloa cartel, the US State Department has identified seven other crime groups in Latin America as FTOS. They are:
- Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)
- Cartel in the Persian Gulf
- Northeast cartel
- United cartel
- Mihoacan
- Aragua train
- MS-13
All, except the last two groups, are based in Mexico, and the Mexican government has been subjected to great pressure from the Trump administration to strengthen its fight against them and the trafficking of the synthetic fentanyl in which they are involved.
Read more about how fentanyl enters the US
Earlier this month, Mexican President Claudia Shainbaum was able to persuade his colleague in the United States to retain the imposition of a 25% duty on the US Mexican imports for a month.
Mexican security forces will hope that Canobbio's arrest – who was accused in absentia by a federally large jury in Chicago in November for the alleged smuggling of fentanyl in the United States – will somehow show their commitment to the fight against drug trafficking.
The prosecution accuses Canobbio of being the chief advisor, lieutenant and security chief of Ayvan Archivalo Guzman, one of the sons of Joaquin El Chapo, Guzman, who took over the management of Sinaloa Cartel after their father was closed.
According to security expert David Sausedo, Canobbio has played a key role in the inclusion of Sinaloa cartel, which is involved in fanthanil smuggling in the United States.
Saudedo told Mexico's radio that he expects him to be extradited quickly to the United States.