REYNOSA, Tamaulipas — The Tamaulipas government stepped up its effort to capture three top leaders with Mexico’s Gulf Cartel, whose internal struggle led to multiple gun battles and heightened violence in this border city. The faces of the three cartel bosses were placed on multiple billboards throughout Reynosa, Rio Bravo, and other areas where the cartel members are known to operate.
Most recently, the Tamaulipas Attorney General’s Office announced a $2 million Pesos reward (approximately $111,000 USD) for information leading to the capture of three of the top leaders with the Gulf Cartel who authorities claim are responsible for multiple violent acts in Reynosa and Rio Bravo. Authorities have warrants for Luis Alberto “Pelochas or M-28” Blanco Flores, Humberto or Steven “Betillo-Betito” Loiza Mendez, and Petronilo “El Panilo” Moreno Flores. The cartel bosses were charged with extortion and engaging in organized criminal activity.
As Breitbart Texas has been reporting since May, two rival factions of the Gulf Cartel have been fighting for control of Reynosa and its lucrative drug trafficking routes. One faction is led by Moreno Flores, while Blanco Flores and Loiza Mendez lead the other. The escalation in violence between the two factions led to multiple shootouts, kidnappings, and executions.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and Stephen K. Bannon. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.