Authorities have arrested Victor Hugo Delgado Renteria, leader of the Mexican drug trafficking gang Jalisco Cartel – New Generation (CJNG), according to Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam.
Renteria, known as “El Tornado,” was captured in Guadalajara. He is accused of killing 12 drug dealers. Another CJNG member, Domingo Medina Mogel, was also arrested.
New Generation used to be affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel, but now operates independently in Jalisco State.
This arrest follows the recent capture of Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, “Z-40,” the leader of one of Mexico’s most violent criminal organizations, the Zetas. President Enrique Pena Nieto’s administration captured two major drug kingpins this month, but emphasizes that the ultimate goal is to reduce violence, not just make arrests.
In Jalisco homicides increased 6.2 percent in the first third of this year in comparison to the same period in 2012. Jalisco had the third highest number of criminal homicides, only behind Guerrero and Chihuahua states.
According to an AP report, CJNG has been battling the Michoacan-based Knights Templar cartel for dominance in the southern region of the country. InSight Crime reports that a major reason violence prevails in Jalisco is because multiple gangs are fighting for control of it. In addition to the Knights Templar, CJNG has fought the Zetas, the Milenio Cartel and the Familia Michoacana for regional dominance.