La Tuta Gomez (Photo : YouTube)
The Mexican government announced the capture of Servando "La Tuta" Gomez Martinez, head of the murderous Knights Templar drug cartel, and one of only two Mexican drug kingpins still on the loose.
Police said Gomez, 49, was arrested Friday in an early morning raid on a home in Morelia, the capital of Michoacan, the state in central Mexico the cartel terrorized for years. Gomez's Knights Templar, a quasi-religious criminal gang, once had absolute control over Michoacan.
Gomez was wanted on charges of homicide, kidnapping, drug trafficking and extortion, among other crimes. The government offered a reward of US$2 million Gomez, who was also known as "El Profe," short for professor, because of his looks.
Gomez loved publicity, gave interviews and uploaded videos of himself on YouTube. Because of this, Mexican media described him as "the most famous YouTuber of the 'Knights Templar", according to Xinhuanet.
Gomez was arrested along with eight bodyguards and associates armed with a machine pistol, assault rifles, grenade launcher and three grenades, said National Security Commissioner Monte Alejandro Rubido. Gomez and his men were arrested without a shot fired. Their arrest came after a months of surveillance.
Mexican Interior Secretary Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said "we have caught the most important target in the fight against organized crime", said Chron.
"With this arrest, the rule of law is strengthened in the country and we continue to advance toward a Mexico at peace," said Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on his Twitter account.
Also on Friday, Mexican police also announced that Gomez's younger brother, Flavio, was arrested in Merida in eastern Yucatan state. Flavio allegedly handled the gang's finances.
The arrest is the latest by the federal government's two year-old government against drug lords. Of Mexico's top drug bosses, only Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada of the Sinaloa Cartel remains at large
