Federal police arrested a major methamphetamine producer for the Sinaloa Cartel in northwest Mexico, in another blow to Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's criminal organization.
Jaime Herrera Herrera, alias “El Viejito”, had been working for the cartel since 2002, producing the drug in two ranches outside the city of Cuiliacan, reports El Informador. He was arrested in the US in the 1990s and later released on bail, after which he began distributing methamphetamine in Los Angeles, California and eventually producing the drug in Mexico.
Another man was arrested with Herrera, and police found weapons, 202 kilograms of methamphetamine, and other drugs.
InSight Crime Analysis
The arrest of one of the cartel’s major methamphetamine producers is a reminder of the increasing importance of the drug to its operations. With the decline of the Familia Michoacana, the Sinaloa Cartel is thought to have become Mexico’s biggest meth producer.
There have been at least five major arrests of Sinaloa Cartel members since November, as El Informador notes, and Herrera’s capture could represent a serious blow for the group. This has caused speculation that the government is increasing pressure on the organization, and that fugitive boss Joaquin Guzman, alias "El Chapo," could be captured soon.
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