‘El Mapache’ Captured in Mazatlán; He Escaped From Prison in 2019 During the ‘Culiacanazo’

The individual, linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, was located in the Ricardo Flores Magón neighborhood of Mazatlán, in possession of weapons, magazines, and tactical equipment.

During patrols in the port of Mazatlán, Sinaloa, law enforcement agencies located and apprehended an individual who had been a fugitive for years. The State Public Security Secretariat reported that this person was part of the group of inmates who escaped from the Aguaruto Penitentiary Center during the riots of October 2019, a period marked by the attempted capture of Ovidio Guzmán López.

According to the information released, the events took place on February 17 in the vicinity of the Ricardo Flores Magón neighborhood. In that area, officers spotted a pickup truck traveling without license plates, prompting them to signal for it to stop. Upon noticing the police presence, the driver attempted to flee; however, the officers managed to catch him and conduct a search of both the individual and the vehicle.

As part of the vehicle inspection, weapons and other military equipment were discovered. The inventory of seized items indicates the presence of two rifles, a tactical vest equipped with ballistic plates, six magazines, and a total of 180 rounds of ammunition. Following these findings, the subject’s identity was verified in the databases of law enforcement agencies. The analysis of the information revealed that the man in custody is the same individual who took advantage of the so-called “Culiacanazo” of 2019 to escape from prison in Culiacán.

Although the agency’s statement doesn’t provide his full name, various journalistic sources in the region identify him as Roberto “N,” alias “El Mapache” or “El Mungui,” and is alleged to be a member of the Sinaloa Cartel. Before his escape, this individual faced legal proceedings for carrying firearms and possessing ammunition restricted to the Armed Forces. His record includes a previous arrest, also in 2019, following a confrontation with authorities north of the Sinaloa state capital.

This operation involved the participation of the Sinaloa Special Operations Group (GOES) of the State Preventive Police. Members of the Mexican Army, the National Guard, the Navy, and personnel from both state and federal prosecutors’ offices also collaborated in the deployment. The detainee, the weapons, and the vehicle were turned over to the appropriate authorities to determine their legal status.

Source: Tribuna