Mexico Arrests Top Drug Cartel Figure

(AP)  Soldiers have arrested a suspected drug cartel member listed among Mexico's 37 most-wanted traffickers, the Defense Department said Thursday.

Raymundo Almanza Morales was captured Wednesday in the northern city of Monterrey along with three other suspects after soldiers received a tip, the department said in a statement.

Almanza is named as a top lieutenant of the Gulf drug cartel on the list of most-wanted traffickers that the government published in March. His brother, Octavio Almanza, was arrested in February on suspicion of masterminding the killing of an army general in Cancun.

The Defense Department said Octavio Almanza told authorities that his brother had been deployed to oversee drug trafficking operations in Guatemala and Belize. The statement did not say whether that claim turned out to be true, and it gave no further details on Raymundo Almanza's alleged drug trafficking activities.

Defense Department officials said there would be no immediate comment beyond the statement.

Raymundo Almanza was arrested along with three other people, the department said. They were found with five guns and marijuana.

The government had offered a reward of up to 15 million pesos ($1.1 million) for information leading to Raymundo Almanza's arrest, but the Defense Department did not say whether any money had been paid to the citizen who tipped off authorities.

Octavio Almanza allegedly headed the Cancun branch of the Zetas, a group of hit men for the drug cartel. He is suspected of orchestrating the killing of retired Brig. Gen. Mauro Enrique Tello, who had been hired to root out corruption in the resort town, as well as nine soldiers in Monterrey.

The government of President Felipe Calderon has deployed 45,000 soldiers nationwide in an aggressive battle to crush Mexico's ruthless drug cartels.

Drug violence has surged and become more brutal since the offensive began more than two years ago, claiming more than 10,750 lives. The government attributes the rise in violence in large part to internal gang strife sparked by the arrest of top drug lords.

[MEXpatriate]

....another setback episode on Calderon's valiant war he took on, which clearly lacks a strategy as to how to deal with the consequences of getting tough against a well armed and wide-spread enemy. In this case, watch Acapulco getting dropped from many tourist plans, national and foreign.
This is demonstrated by using a military force that looks impressive patrolling the streets but certainly is not prepared nor trained to counter a foe that is aided by corruption and shielded by impunity. But it was his whim, Felipe The Daring, with NO plan B whatsoever. Oh, but he is trying to revitalize tourism with the Vive Mexico campaign.
My dear Mexico...one step forward, two steps back. Story of our life and history.

[andylance1]

President Felipe Calderon of Mexico has sent large numbers of Policia Federal , a cross between the state police and National Guard, to every city in Mexico to curb the violence and make Mexico safe for the tourists from North America. Tourists bring in over 13 billion a year to the Mexican economy.

Mexico is still the most affordable place in the world for US residents to come on vacation. With the exception of a few border cities, Mexico is just as safe as it always has been.

Just remember, it is the crazy drug laws in the US and the demand for drugs by Americans that is responsible for 99 percent of the violence in Mexico.

[edward1975-2009]

This is going to cut into some Mexican politicians yearly salary.

[Dgunner]

I have been to monterey . The area itself is breathtaking . After you look past the trah the starving people and all the sh--t the tourist dept. tries to hide from the touro des yankees

[american_11-2009]

We need to send about 30 million invading Mexicans back to Mexico to help the government out in their great battle against drugs and corruption. But wait, those 30 million are all criminals also!

[Charlieot2]

Please explain how your statement is relevant to the content of this article

[johnb8888]

"Raymundo Almanza Morales was captured Wednesday in the northern city of Monterrey along with three other suspects after soldiers received a tip, the department said in a statement. "


The tip? "Morales is still living in the mansion where all your police captains regularly go to receive their payoffs."

[rushlimpdrug]

"Octavio Almanza allegedly headed the Cancun branch of the Zetas"

"branch of the Zetas"

"the Zetas"

"Zetas"