Justice in Mexico

Alleged Financial Operator of Sinaloa Cartel is Arrested

01/17/12– The National Defense Secretary (Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, Sedena) announced Tuesday that the Mexican military had arrested José Sánchez Villalobos, the alleged financial operator of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán’s Sinaloa Cartel, who allegedly controlled regions within Baja California and Jalisco. Sánchez Villalobos, who was captured in Guadalajara, has been linked to a confiscation of money by authorities on November 18 in Tijuana that amounted to $15,300,000 (USD). Following the seizure a warrant was issued for his capture. An additional warrant for his arrest had also been previously issued by a U.S. court trying to bring charges against Sánchez Villalobos for distributing cocaine.

Sedena stated that Sánchez Villalobos changed his identity to Óscar Hérnandez González in an attempt to escape the authorities. The investigations stemming from the arrest warrant issued in November led to information that allowed authorities to discover that Sánchez Villalobos had changed his name.

The army has since put Sánchez Villalobos in the control of a public prosecutor that belongs to the Federal Ministry of the Deputy Attorney of Specialized Investigation in Organized Crime (Ministerio Público perteneciente a la Subprocuraduría de Investigación Especializada en Delincuencia Organizada, SIEDO).

Sources:

“Cayó presunto operador financiero de ‘Chapo’ Guzmán.” Univision. January 17, 2012.

Alzaga, Ignacio. “Ejército captura a operador de El Chapo Guzmán.” Milenio. January 17, 2012.

“Ejército mexicano arresta a operador financiero de cártel del Pacífico.” EFE. January 17, 2012.

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