Lucio R. Borderland Beat with C.E.M
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| On right his old "wanted" photo, left is from this week |
Mexican authorities have arrested a lieutenant of the Sinaloa drug cartel who is wanted in the United States, officials said on Monday.
National Security Commissioner Renato Sales said the suspect, who he refers to as Martin "N", was arrested on Friday in Jalisco state. Sales said the suspect, who crashed his vehicle when he was captured, is under a warrant to extradite him to the United States.
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While he did not fully identify the suspect, the detained is , the Treasury Department identified him as Martin Guadencio Avendano Ojeda, who worked under Sinaloa leader Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.
Martin is the brother of Hector Manuel Avendano Ojeda, aka El Meño who was arrested in June of this year.
In October 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) reported that Martin Guadencio, his brothers Hector Manuel and Sergio, along with two accomplices located in Mexico, were named "Foreign Narcotics Kingpins".
The director of that office, Adam Szubin said at the time that the action of the Treasury Department was given in order to disrupt the ability of the network of drug distribution and money laundering headed by Martin Gaudencio and generates funds for the Sinaloa Cartel.
Additionally, Avendano Ojeda allegedly facilitated the smuggling of drugs into the United States as the head of a cell in the territories of Ensenada, Comondu, and Loreto, Baja California Sur.
Ojeda Guadencio was captured Friday near the western city of Guadalajara. Sales said Avendano Ojeda crashed his SUV and injured a federal police officer while trying to evade arrest. He was carrying about 2.2 pounds (1 kilogram) of cocaine and two guns at the time of his arrest.