Monday, January 19, 2026

Police arrest ex-drug lord’s nephew blamed for Tamaulipas violence

Agents from the federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) arrested the nephew of the former leader of the Gulf Cartel yesterday in Naucalpan, México state, in the greater Mexico City area.

Mario Alberto Cárdenas Medina, also known as “El Betito,” is the nephew of Osiel Cárdenas Guillén and has been identified by authorities as the leader of a gang called Los Metros. He is accused of arms and drug trafficking and blamed for being a major instigator of violence in Tamaulipas.

Cárdenas Medina was located and arrested in a Naucalpan shopping mall by FGR agents. He was in the company of a woman identified only as Miriam M., who was also placed under arrest.

Agents seized a handgun and a loaded magazine, 23 bags containing a narcotic substance and four burner cell phones.

Cárdenas is the son of Mario Cárdenas Guillén, who became leader of the Gulf Cartel after the arrest of his brother Osiel, and founder of the Metros gang.

Cárdenas Gullén was arrested in Altamira, Tamaulipas, in 2012 and sentenced to 20 years in prison for organized crime. There is also a pending extradition order requested by the government of the United States against him.

Source: El Universal (sp)

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