Mexican Officials Detain Suspect in Border City for U.S. Drug Charges
Authorities arrested a former Los Zetas member and his son in Nuevo Laredo, citing links to disappearances and drug trafficking.
By Peter Graham ·
Ninety-two individuals were transferred from Mexico to the United States between February 2025 and January 2026, a period marked by intensified cross-border enforcement actions. On Sunday, Mexican officials announced the arrest of a suspect known by the alias La Pocha in the border city of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas.
Omar García Harfuch, Mexico’s Secretary of Security, stated that La Pocha was detained alongside his son, who goes by the alias El Nazi. The son is identified as the suspected leader of a sicario cell within Las Tropas del Infierno, an operational structure of the Cártel del Noreste.
Agents from the Mexican Army and the Attorney General’s Office executed the raid. They searched three properties in Nuevo Laredo at the same time. García Harfuch posted a message on the social media platform X, confirming that La Pocha holds an arrest warrant for the purpose of extradition to the United States. He attached a photograph of the detainee to the post.
Investigators believe La Pocha was involved in the disappearance of people while he was a member of the criminal group Los Zetas. Officials said he continued this activity while working for the Cártel del Noreste. They also linked him to homicides and kidnappings, though they did not provide specific details in their initial statement.
The Mexican Ministry of Defense clarified that the United States is requesting La Pocha for the crimes of conspiracy and drug trafficking. The capture occurs amid growing cooperation between the two nations regarding criminal targets sought by Washington.
The Cártel del Noreste emerged from Los Zetas and maintains a strong presence in the border region. In October, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned four individuals and 11 entities connected to the group for alleged money laundering. Meanwhile, Mexico’s anti-money laundering unit blocked 15 bank accounts associated with the network. Washington states that the cartel’s stronghold is located across from Laredo, Texas, and that it operates in sectors including transportation, fuels, construction, and equestrian activities.
