Federal Police arrested a man accused of being the top hitman of the Caballeros Templarios drug gang, in south Mexico.
Javier Beltran Arco, alias "El Chivo," is accused of being a high-level boss in the trafficking organization. He was captured by police forces Wednesday in the city of Apatzingan, Michoacan, along with two alleged accomplices, according to reports.
The three suspects were apprehended by security forces after being spotted driving armed through the neighborhood of Cenobio Moreno. Upon arrest both Beltran’s companions reportedly confessed to working as lookouts for the organization.
Police seized a small amount of crystal meth, various weapons and ammunition, along with a blanket bearing the name of the gang.
The Caballeros Templarios are a splinter group of the Familia Michoacana gang that emerged earlier this year. Following the capture of the Familia leader in June, government forces have poured into Michoacan to capture Caballeros Templarios boss Servando Gomez Martines, alias "La Tuta."
Within hours of the arrests, a small protest of about 100 people broke out in the area of Apatzingan. The protesters, allegedly paid by the Caballeros Templarios, held up signs reading “Calderon you are Michoacano, protect your state,” and “Felipe Calderon, we want peace.”
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