TIJUANA State authorities announced Sunday night that they arrested a suspect linked to several drug-related slayings.
The Baja California Department of Public Safety announced that its agents had arrested Friday night José Luis Mendoza Uriarte, 24, known as "El Güero Chompas," in a special operation in the Río zone.
According to the announcement, he said he was the cousin of Raydel López Uriarte, alias "El Muletas," who allegedly is a deputy for Teodoro García Simental, both related to the Sinaloa cartel and detained in early 2010.
The agents closed two streets in the Río zone when they ascertained that Mendoza Uriarte was in the area. They intercepted the Nissan Maxima he was driving and detained him and two other men with him, according the announcement.
The suspects were identified as Guadalupe Javier Rodríguez Cruz, 35; Kelvin Humberto Quiñones Armenta, 25,
and Mariano Rodríguez Peña, the false name Mendoza Uriarte allegedly gave.
When the suspects were cornered, they threatened the agents' lives, the announcement said, adding that their vehicle had been reported stolen.
The department said that Mendoza Uriarte confessed to belonging to a criminal cell and having participated in recent homicides, but the announcement provided no details. He said he was the cousin of López Uriarte, and another man known only as "El Chapito," both linked to the Sinaloa cartel, according to the department.
The three suspects were turned over state judicial authorities, who will investigate their involvement in multiple homicides in Tijuana.
Experts have said the Sinaloa cartel has emerged as the main criminal organization in the border region.
Most of the cross-border drug tunnels, including a sophisticated one discovered last week in Otay Mesa, as well as record loads of marijuana and cocaine seized this year were said to belong to the Sinaloa cartel.
Omar.millan@sandieogred.com
