Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Made of L.A.
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network. For the latest national news from NPR and our live radio broadcast, visit LAist.com/radio

Keep up with our local independent news

The Top 5 newsletter catches you up with LA’s top 5 stories in just 3 minutes.
Donate

Share This

This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

News

Mexican President Announces Fugitive Drug Lord 'El Chapo' Has Been Captured

By  Carman Tse
Published Jan 7, 2016 11:00 PM
enrique_pena_nieto.jpg
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (Photo by Toby Melville - WPA Pool /Getty Images)
Support your source for local news!
The local news you read here every day is crafted for you, but right now, we need your help to keep it going. In these uncertain times, your support is even more important. Today, put a dollar value on the trustworthy reporting you rely on all year long. We can't hold those in power accountable and uplift voices from the community without your partnership. Thank you.


The hunt for notorious drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán has ended as Mexican president Enrique Peña Nieto announced his arrest on Friday morning."Mission accomplished: we got him," Peña Nieto wrote in a tweet in Spanish. "I want to inform the Mexican people that Joaquin Guzmán Loera has been arrested."

U.S. officials confirmed the arrest with ABC News.

Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor

An official who anonymously spoke with the AP said five people were killed and one Mexican marine was injured in the raid that captured the drug lord. In a statement, the Mexican Navy said it received a tip that Guzman was hiding inside a house in the town of Los Mochis, and that they seized an arsenal that included two armored vehicles and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Guzman was not injured.


Authorities examine the tunnel Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman used to escape from the Altiplano prison (Photo courtesy of AP)
Guzman escaped from the maximum-security Atiplano prison in July via a mile-long tunnel, setting off a national manhunt. He reportedly was injured after escaping capture by authorities in October.

The Sinaloa Cartel, which Guzman led, was said to make around $3 billion annually in the illegal drug trade.

Update [12:00]: Telemundo News tweeted photos that reportedly show Guzman after his capture. They could not verify their authenticity:

Most Read
Best of LAist