Police have captured a man and a woman suspected of being close to the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Authorities said that both Edgar “El Caimán” (The Alligator) Herrera Pardo and his swimsuit model girlfriend, Maine de la Cruz, have close ties to cartel boss Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes.

Federal Police identified de la Cruz when she boarded a bus in Querétaro City bound for San Luis Potosí. Police detained the bus as it pulled into the terminal, boarded it and found that Pardo was also aboard. They were taken into custody without a struggle.

Both Pardo and De la Cruz were wanted for drug trafficking. Pardo is thought to be one of “El Mencho’s” eight most-trusted henchmen and the cartel’s plaza boss in Tijuana. He is also wanted in the United States.

De la Cruz is a former beauty queen who earned fame in Tijuana when she won a bikini contest hosted by the popular gambling hall Casino Caliente. Authorities said she also has strong ties to the infamous and elusive cartel chief.

Source: El Universal (sp), El Sol de San Luis (sp)