Ovidio Guzmán-López: Deadly riots grip Mexican state after drug arreston January 5, 2023 at 11:57 pm

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Gunfire hits a plane and gangs erect road blocks after a son of drug kingpin “El Chapo” is arrested.

This video can not be played

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Two people have died in clashes in the state of Sinaloa following the arrest of a son of notorious Mexican drug kingpin “El Chapo”.

Ovidio Guzmán-López – himself alleged to be a leader of his father’s former cartel – was captured in Culiacán after a six-month surveillance operation.

Furious gang members set up road blocks, set fire to vehicles and attacked a local airport.

A passenger plane was hit by gunfire while preparing to take off.

More than a hundred flights were cancelled at three Sinaloa airports.

Sinaloa’s state governor earlier said 18 people had been admitted to hospital.

Mr Guzmán-López is accused of leading a faction of his father’s notorious Sinaloa cartel, Defence Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval said. It is one of the largest drug-trafficking organisations in the world.

Hi father, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, is serving a life sentence in the US after being found guilty in 2019 of drug trafficking and money laundering. His trial revealed some of the brutal details of how Mexico’s drug cartels operate.

Ovidio Guzmán-López

Image source, US State Department

The surveillance operation to capture Mr Guzmán-López had the support of US officials, and he has now been transferred to a safe location in Mexico City, Defence Minister Sandoval added.

Videos on social media show burning buses blocking roads in Culiacán.

The fuselage of a plane scheduled to fly from Culiacán to Mexico City was hit by gunfire on Thursday morning as it was preparing for take-off, Mexican airline Aeromexico said.

No customers or employees had been harmed, it said. A video posted on social media appears to show passengers crouching and cowering in their seats.

A grab from a video on social media appears to show passengers taking cover in their seats on a grounded plane, the Aeromexico 165 Culiacan, Sinaloa-Mexico City flight

Image source, Reuters

1px transparent line

US President Joe Biden is due to visit Mexico for a North American leaders’ summit next week.

Federal armed forces had been carrying out an operation in Culiacán since dawn on Thursday, Mayor Ruben Rocha Moya confirmed on Twitter earlier.

He said there were blockades in different parts of the city and urged residents to stay at home.

Schools have closed in Culiacán, the local government body overseeing education announced on social media.

Mexican security forces had previously arrested Mr Guzmán-López in 2019 but released him to avoid the threat of violence from his supporters.

The US state department says he and his brother Joaquín are currently overseeing approximately eleven methamphetamine labs in the state of Sinaloa, producing an estimated 1,300- 2,200kg (3000-5000lb) of the drug per month.

They have also said that information indicates Mr Guzmán-López ordered the murders of informants, a drug trafficker and a popular Mexican singer who refused to sing at his wedding.

In December, the US announced a reward of up to $5m (£4.2m) for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Mr Guzmán-López and three of his brothers, who are thought to have kept their positions of command in the group.

- Advertisement -

Discover

Sponsor

Latest

The Papers: ‘Mickey Mouse vs Home Office’ and ‘talk up Brexit’on July 7, 2023 at 11:10 pm

The removal of Disney cartoons from an asylum centre and Brexit pressure on the PM lead the papers.The removal of Disney cartoons from an...

Pressure mounts on Harvard president Claudine Gay to step downon December 11, 2023 at 4:54 pm

More than 500 faculty members have urged Harvard to 'resist political pressures' to force Dr Gay out.Image source, Getty ImagesBy Bernd Debusmann JrBBC News,...

Mum’s warning after uterine cancer mistaken for periodson March 5, 2023 at 9:57 pm

Kelly Pendry's symptoms were initially dismissed as normal post-pregnancy periods.This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in...

Usyk leaves Ukraine to prepare for Joshua rematchon March 23, 2022 at 1:17 pm

Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk leaves his native Ukraine to prepare for his rematch with Anthony Joshua.

Arsenal 2-1 Brighton: WSL leaders come from behind to go four points clearon January 27, 2022 at 9:39 pm

Women's Super League leaders Arsenal end their recent poor form by coming from behind to beat Brighton and go four points clear at the...