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FUGITIVE DRUG KINGPIN Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman eluded an operation to recapture him in northwestern Mexico in recent days, injuring his leg and face, authorities said, as the manhunt heats up.
Authorities said yesterday that efforts to nab Guzman, who embarrassed President Enrique Pena Nieto with his brazen July jailbreak, have focused on the northwest region in the past few weeks after foreign governments shared intelligence.
“Due to these actions and to avoid his arrest, the fugitive escaped in a hurry (in recent days), which according to the information that was collected, caused him injuries to his leg and face,” the government said in a statement.
“It is important to specify that these injuries were not the product of a direct clash,” it said, without specifying the extent of the injuries or how authorities know he was hurt.
Authorities also did not say exactly where and when the operation took place, but raids have reportedly occurred in the neighboring states of Durango and Sinaloa.
The government said it was continuing operations to capture the Sinaloa drug cartel boss, who has been captured and escaped prison twice, most recently on July 11 by crawling down a hole in his cell’s shower that led to a huge tunnel.
The governor of Sinaloa said on Wednesday that special forces had conducted raids in Tamazula, Durango.
US Drug Enforcement Administration officials have told AFP that they believe Guzman fled to the rugged mountain region of his home state stronghold of Sinaloa following his jailbreak.
The states of Durango, Sinaloa and Chihuahua meet in a drug-producing region known as the Gold Triangle, a bastion of Guzman’s drug cartel.
US law enforcement officials say Guzman, 58, likely fled there because he enjoys the support of the local population. American authorities have been working with Mexican security forces in the hope of extraditing him to the United States.
Raunch Raid
US network NBC News reported that Mexican marines closed in on Guzman last week after US drug agents intercepted cellphone signals suggesting he was hiding at a ranch near Cosala, Sinaloa state, in the Sierra Madre mountains.
Citing three sources with knowledge of the operation, NBC said the marines raided the ranch in helicopters, but turned back after taking fire from Guzman’s gunmen.
The marines later went in on foot and found cellphones, medication and two-way radios. Guzman and his henchmen are believed to have fled in all-terrain vehicles, the network said.
But a week after the raid, officials are “losing hope” that the infamous drug lord will be caught imminently, it reported.
US Extradition Bid
Guzman fled the Altiplano maximum-security prison near Mexico City just 17 months after US-backed marines captured him in the Sinaloa Pacific resort of Mazatlan following a 13-year manhunt.
He escaped through a 1.5-kilometer tunnel with a redesigned motorcycle on special tracks, emerging in a house outside the prison.
A new video of his escape was leaked to the Televisa channel this week, showing that loud hammering could be heard in his cell moments before he descended down the hole.
It took guards nearly 40 minutes to go inside his cell after he escaped.
More than a dozen prison officials have been detained over charges they helped him flee.
Pena Nieto had refused to hand Guzman over to the United States, but authorities have now secured an arrest warrant to extradite him if he is captured again.
Guzman was first arrested in 1993 in Guatemala, but he escaped from a prison in western Mexico in 2001 by hiding in a laundry cart.
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A raunch raid sounds like something from a carry on film
You can guarantee one thing.
It’ll make a great movie.
That’s one big shower drain.
Evil monster
Really or he could just be South American / Latino face America needs to keep it people thinking they are winning the war on drugs
Gus there’s plenty more waiting in the wings if this guy is caught.he’s a result of his economic situation very easy for you sitting in the comfort of Ireland saying that but if you were unfortunate enough to be born into that area there’s a good chance you’d be involved in drugs to feed you and your family
Tommy, I don’t think there’s a single person in America who believes for one minute that they’re winning the war on drugs.
There’s a film called Cartel Land that shows how absolutely despicable these people are.
Alan we all have choices, I have personally seen so many blighted lives in the UK and Ireland thanks to people like this character.I dont like people who make fortunes on the misery of others.
Big difference between here and Mexico
Gus you say you don’t like people who make money of other people’s misery.do you dislike publicans who sell alcohol to alcoholics,shopkeepers who sell cigarettes to smokers who some die a slow painful death from its side effects,bookies who take money from gambling addicts who lose homes and businesses through addiction?theres many more examples I can give you
I’m not pro drugs at all but I suggest you look at the stats of A) the number of people who die from drugs in a yearly basis
B) the number of people who die from alcohol every year
C) the number of people who die from smoking related diseases every year.
Then maybe you’ll realise the real scourge on our society
How many people have your local publican, shopkeeper or bookie murdered? Selling drugs to keep your family in food in a poor country is one thing but any kind of research on this guy would show you that is not what he’s about.
They may not have murdered anyone but how many lives of loved ones has been ruined or cut short due to selling there products.premature death through alcohol or smoking can be avoided
Hugh I agree with what he has done is horrific but if you found yourself in a similar situation.a he does or I die situation what would you do??
This is a ruthless thug who would personally murder a smuggler if they wer late with a delivery to send out a message. I think your kill or be killed argument may apply to some but not to him.
If carlsberg did hard men.
a loud noise heard from cell …. may have been using “Cillit Bang” for cleaning it
Like paplo escobar all over again,he will be shot down or caught alive and then he will escape all over again so this time he will be shot once special forces are involved they shoot to kill
The problem for the Mexican authorities with trying to capture this guy is information security. He can pay any amount to members of the police and army to feed him information to keep one step ahead. The Drug Cartels in Mexico exist through bribery and terror. In Sinaloha State it is estimated that every single police officer is in the pocket of the Cartel because they were given two choices. Join with the Cartel or they will kill you and your entire family including extended family.
The Sinaloa cartel were allowed by the US and Mexican authorities to get as big as they are, By allowing the Sinaloa cartel wipe out it’s rivals the CIA came to the conclusion that once the “small” fish were wiped out they could then take down El Chapos crew. But in the meantime El Chapos crew were acting with impunity running guns over the border from the US and being caught then released, same with the Drugs.
Legend
arggggh what a comment?!!!
scratch that..phone misbehaving
have your say