TIJUANA — U.S. and Mexican authorities have confirmed the Tuesday night capture in Tijuana of "El Tomate," or Jesús Israel de la Cruz López, an ex-cop
who allegedly joined a brutal drug gang that targeted members of the municipal police force.
Early Wednesday, de la Cruz was reportedly being held at the Morelos Military Base, where Baja California’s Second Military Zone has called a news
conference for later in the day.
A high-ranking Mexican law-enforcement source said de la Cruz was considered one of the successors to the notoriously violent drug gang formerly led
by Teodoro Garcia Simental. Garcia allegedly targeted municipal police officers in an attempt to intimidate authorities, and de la Cruz has been
accused of leading one of the criminal cells that carried out the killings.
According to Tijuana’s municipal police department, de la Cruz left the force in 2008, the year that an unprecedented number of municipal officers
were killed.
Garcia, who was captured last February in Baja California Sur, was receiving support from the Sinaloa cartel as he waged a battle against the region’s
long-dominant Arellano Felix drug trafficking organization.surfer jim - 1-5-2011 at 10:28 PM
Hang him high....after he talks.bajatravelergeorge - 1-5-2011 at 10:51 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by surfer jim
Hang him high....after he talks.
