Mexico's Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, announced on Friday the arrest in Querétaro state of the leader of 'Los Salazar,' a faction linked to the Sinaloa Cartel, which the United States declared a terrorist organization last year. On his social media, he detailed that the detainee, identified as Diego 'N,' known as 'El Flaco,' is accused of coordinating drug sales and distribution to the state capital, as well as arms trafficking, attacks on rival groups, homicides, and recruitment activities. García Harfuch stated that the criminal group led by 'El Flaco' is associated with the Sinaloa Cartel, one of Mexico's most significant drug trafficking organizations and a focus of U.S. authorities. The arrest took place during a security operation following a four-month investigation, in which 29 other members of the same faction were also detained. In a subsequent statement, Mexico's Security Cabinet detailed that 21 men and 9 women were arrested, including the criminal group's leader. Authorities seized firearms, drug doses, cash, vehicles, communication equipment, and data storage devices. This operation occurs as the Mexican state of Sinaloa experiences a sharp escalation in violence due to an internal struggle between Sinaloa Cartel factions, prompting the government to deploy nearly 2,800 military, security, and ministerial personnel to reinforce security.
