MEXICO. The Mexican Army apprehended the alleged leader of the Gulf Cartel, Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez, in Tampico, Tamaulipas (north east of Mexico) according to official sources.

The local media said that the military operation where Costilla was captured was performed without a single shot.

In a succinct press release, the Secretariat of Marina informed the arrest of a person "presumed to be and who calls himself Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sánchez, alias 'El Coss', the alleged main leader of the Gulf Cartel."

They also announced that more information will be disclosed today to the media in a press conference where the detainee will be presented.

This capture would mean the Gulf Cartel, one of Mexico's oldest, would be left without a leader after the capture of Mario Cárdenas Guillén, aka "El Gordo", leader of the cartel's branch headed by the Guillén family nine days ago also in Tamaulipas.

In the media presentation last week, a Marina spokesperson explained that Cárdenas Guillén controlled one of the two branches of the cartel while "Coss" was in charge of the other.

"El Gordo" is the brother of two consecutive Gulf cartel leaders: Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, extradited to the US on January 20 of 2007 and Antonio Ezequiel Cárdenas Guillén, who died almost two years ago fighting the Army.

The Gulf Cartel is one of Mexico's oldest, their drug dealing activities date back to the 1980's.

Despite its long trajectory, the criminal organization has lost importance, especially since parting ways with its armed wing, the "Zetas", which formed its own group in 2010.

The Gulf Cartel focuses on cocaine, synthetic drugs and marihuana, operating mainly in Mexico's northern area and eastern coast.

Just like other Mexican drug cartels, their activities include crimes like kidnapping, extortion and selling protection to companies and businesses.

Editorial@sandiegored.com

Original Text : EFE Agency

Translation: Karen.balderas@sandiegored.com