'El Ratón' Nabbed

Drug lord Ovidio Guzmán, son of the notorious kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, was captured by military personnel in the city of Culiacán, Mexican officials announced yesterday. US officials had posted a $5M reward for information leading to the capture of the younger Guzmán, who has been accused of overseeing heavy flows of fentanyl into the US.

Culiacán is the capital city of Sinaloa state, and the power base of the similarly named Sinaloa cartel (see 101). One of Mexico's most powerful drug organizations, the group evolved into an international crime syndicate largely under the leadership of the elder Guzmán. The capture of the younger Guzmán comes more than three years after a high-profile raid in the same city descended into chaos, with Mexican forces overwhelmed by Sinaloa gunmen. Nicknamed "El Ratón," or "The Mouse," Guzmán may be extradited to the US to face charges.

Analysts say Mexico's Sinaloa and rival Jalisco cartels have come to dominate the illicit US fentanyl market, often using homemade recipes.