Gulf Cartel Capo Arrested in Mexico

Via the BBC:  Mexico ‘Gulf cartel boss’ Jorge Eduardo Costilla caught

Mexican officials say marines have captured a man believed to be one of the country’s most wanted drug lords, Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sanchez.

Mr Costilla, a suspected Gulf cartel leader, was detained in the northern state of Tamaulipas, they said.

His capture follows the arrest last week of the suspected head of a rival Gulf faction, Mario Cardenas Guillen.

[…]

He is on the Mexican government’s list of the 37 most wanted drug lords, with a reward of more than $2m (£1.2m) offered for information leading to his capture.

No doubt, the arrest of a major leader will have a significant affect on the drug smuggling business.   While it is useful to arrest persons engaged in criminal activity, the drug trade will continue unabated.

A map of cartels via the BBC, which shows the territorial scope of the Gulf cartel:

 

Map showing areas of influence of Mexican drug cartels

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Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter