Salazar Vega had already been detained once in Tijuana in February of 2002, charged with kidnapping an alleged drug trafficker, José Velázquez Martínez, from Sinaloa. Two years later, Salazar Vega escaped from the La Mesa state prison, the general said.

At the two houses Tuesday night, the military seized weapons, police equipment and three vehicles. This included four high-caliber rifles, an Uzi pistol, a Beretta pistol, 1,488 cartridges of various calibers and 28 magazines for various weapons. The equipment included 12 bulletproof vests, a Kevlar helmet, four police pants, one vest with the state police logo of PEP, three radios, a bayonet knife and a ski mask.

Meanwhile, the kidnapping victim who was freed in the operation described his ordeal at the press conference. He said he was a family man who sold cars on the street.

His kidnappers pretended to be interested buyers and boarded one of his cars, he said. They threatened him with a weapon and took him to a house in the city’s east side, where they kept him for eight days. He was handcuffed and brutally beaten, he said, and was continually threatened with death. He broke down crying several times as he shared his story.

Omar.millan@sandiegored.com