Police in Mexico City are apparently increasing operations in targeting a violent cartel that controls the local drug trade with a history of also dealing in extortion and kidnapping.

In recent days, Mexico City cops arrested a top cartel enforcer named Valente “El Valiente” Machorro Martinez, 45, the Mexico City Police (SSC) revealed.

The man known as El Valiente is described by authorities as a top enforcer for a cell of Cartel Union de Tepito led by an obscure figure known as “El Trompas.” According to Infobae, El Valiente is connected to murders, extortion, and kidnappings.

At the time of the arrest, Mexico City cops were reportedly carrying out an operation targeting the downtown distribution of drugs and spotted El Valiente dropping off baggies to a dealer. When authorities moved in, they found 100 marijuana and 62 cocaine baggies.

Days before the arrest of El Valiente, authorities in Mexico City also caught another Union Tepito member identified as Valeria Sanchez Vascoit. Authorities also seized 190 small bags of drugs. The woman is described as the sister of the late Mexico City Attorney General’s Detective Jose Ricardo “El Konan” Vascoit, who was recently fired for working with the Tepito Union Cartel, Infobae reported.

In recent days, Breitbart Texas reported on the arrests of two Tepito Union Cartel members after they threatened to burn down businesses if their demands were not met.

The Tepito Union Cartel has gained attention from law enforcement in recent months after establishing an alliance with the highly feared Cartel Jalisco New Generation (CJNG). The cooperation is particularly important given the CJNG’s turf wars with the Sinaloa Cartel throughout Mexico.

Editor’s Note: Breitbart Texas traveled to Mexico City and the states of Tamaulipas, Coahuila, and Nuevo León to recruit citizen journalists willing to risk their lives and expose the cartels silencing their communities.  The writers would face certain death at the hands of the various cartels that operate in those areas including the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas if a pseudonym were not used. Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles are published in both English and in their original Spanish. This article was written by “E.F.” Robles” from Jalisco and “L.P. Contreras” from Mexico City