‘El Mantecas’, Head of a Faction Linked to the Beltrán Leyva Cartel, is Arrested

Omar García Harfuch, head of the SSPC (Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection), reported that the arrest was made following an operation by the National Guard, the Mexican Army, and the Mexican Air Force in Sinaloa.

Elements of the Mexican Army, the National Guard, and the Mexican Air Force arrested Iván Valerio Sainz Salazar, alias “El Mantecas,” identified as a leader of the Beltrán Leyva cartel.

The arrest took place during an operation in Badiraguato, Sinaloa, where authorities also located a synthetic drug production facility operated by El Mantecas.  Long-range weapons and doses of drugs were seized at the site.

According to the head of the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, El Mantecas was arrested along with seven other members of his criminal group.

Linked to Attacks Against Military Personnel

Investigations by federal authorities indicate that in 2023, Iván Valerio participated with a group of hitmen in armed attacks against military and National Guard personnel involved in the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán López, “El Ratón.”

Where was “El Mantecas” arrested?

The arrest took place on a dirt road in the town of El Rincón de los Monzón, where military personnel spotted a group of armed individuals who, upon noticing the presence of the authorities, opened fire.

The troops repelled the attack and brought the situation under control, successfully apprehending the criminal leader and seven other men, along with handguns and rifles, vehicles, magazines, ammunition, and doses of drugs.

The attack caused alarm among the residents of the mountain communities, who observed low-flying aircraft and troop movements on the rural roads.

Source: Milenio