Overview
- Mexican Army, National Guard and the federal investigative agency carried out judge‑authorized raids in Tijuana that led to the detention of José Alberto “N” (alias “Beto Leyva”).
- Authorities say he is a close associate of René and Alfonso Arzate García, leaders of a Sinaloa Cartel faction that operates in Sinaloa, Baja California and Durango.
- Officials accuse him of coordinating the movement of migrants toward San Diego and San Ysidro and of taking part in kidnapping migrants to extort payments from their relatives in the United States.
- Investigators linked him to businesses used to launder cartel money and to a network that procured stolen U.S. weapons and vehicles, and they say he has an outstanding U.S. arrest warrant and prior detentions there.
- The capture followed intelligence sharing with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the detainee was handed to the Ministerio Público to determine his legal situation, a step that could lead to Mexican prosecution or U.S. legal action.