Authorities arrest alleged Tepalcatepec Cartel leader
Original reporting: Infobae México
What happened
Sedena reported the arrest of Edgar Valeriano N., known as “El Kamoni,” who was wanted in the United States and linked by authorities to Cárteles Unidos.
Reporting and context
Mexico’s Defense Secretariat reported the arrest of Edgar Valeriano N., known as “El Kamoni,” in Tepalcatepec, Michoacán, on Sept. 23. Sedena said the operation followed intelligence work and information-sharing with Interpol and involved National Guard special forces, the Mexican Army and Interpol Mexico.
Authorities identify Valeriano as a regional leader of the Tepalcatepec Cartel, which they say operates mainly in Tepalcatepec and Buenavista. He is accused of producing synthetic drugs and extorting citrus-industry business owners. Authorities said they seized weapons and ammunition during the arrest. Valeriano had a provisional arrest order tied to possible extradition to the United States on drug-trafficking charges, and the U.S. government had offered a $3 million reward for information leading to his capture.
Infobae México reported that U.S. authorities have also identified Valeriano as Edgar Orozco Cabadas, a figure described in an HSI profile as a Cárteles Unidos enforcer and distributor of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine. The source says an investigation that began in Knoxville, Tennessee, led to a June 2025 indictment in the Eastern District of Tennessee; the charges became public the following month alongside U.S. sanctions against Cárteles Unidos leaders.
The U.S. government designated Cárteles Unidos as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity on Feb. 20, 2025. The State Department announced on Aug. 14, 2025, that rewards totaling $26 million were available for information on five leaders. Infobae reported that, after the arrests of Alfonso Fernández Magallón, known as “Poncho la Quiringua,” and the death of Luis Enrique Barragán Chávez, known as “R5,” the main outstanding targets included Juan José Farías Álvarez, known as “El Abuelo,” and Nicolás Sierra Santana, known as “El Gordo.”
After the arrest, Valeriano and the seized items were transferred by Mexican Air Force helicopter to Mexico City and placed at the disposal of Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office. The allegations and official characterizations remain subject to the pending legal process.
Source: Infobae México. Image credits: U.S. Department of State, Especial, and source-linked article attribution as supplied.