The suspected leader of the Gulf Cartel in the Central Valleys region of Oaxaca was arrested yesterday by federal agents and state police in Oaxaca city.

Carlos Abraham Ríos Suárez, also known as El Oaxaco, is suspected to be involved in the cartel’s drug trafficking operations, namely shipping illegal substances to the United States.

Ríos has also been linked to extorting local businesses and trafficking in firearms.

Federal officials reported that Ríos was arrested without violence, and that four restricted firearms were seized in the process.

Ríos rose to the regional cartel leadership after the arrest of his brother David. In statements to authorities, David Ríos has confessed that his brother operates with the support of the Familia Michoacana cartel.

Carlos Ríos is also the state chairman of the Autonomous Confederation of Workers and Employees of México, and his arrest triggered a series of protests by affiliated taxi drivers.

They demanded the release of their leader and used their vehicles to block traffic going in and out of Oaxaca city.

Source: El Universal (sp)