| | |  News Around the Republic of Mexico | August 2009 
Federal Police Capture Top Deputy in Arellano Cartel
 Sandra Dibble - San Diego Union-Tribune
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August 09, 2009
| | Manuel Ivanovich Zambrano Flores | |
Tijuana — A suspect described as a leading member of the Arellano Felix drug cartel is in Mexican federal custody following his arrest outside a body shop near the U.S. border in Tijuana's Zona Norte.
Manuel Ivanovich Zambrano Flores, known as El Jimmy, was captured late Friday afternoon by members of the Mexican Federal Police. Ivanovich is believed to be a top deputy to cartel leader Fernando Sanchez-Arellano, in charge of money-laundering operations, finances and the smuggling of drugs to the United States, according to the Mexican Federal Police.
Ivanovich's arrest was the result of a joint operation between the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Mexican federal law enforcement authorities, said Eileen Zeidler, the DEA's San Diego spokeswoman.
Zeidler said Ivanovich does not face charges in the United States, “but that certainly could change down the line.”
Ivanovich, 32, is being held in Mexico on suspicion of drug trafficking, organized crime and firearms violations.
Mexican Federal Police said Ivanovich tried to flee as agents closed in on him, but was captured while in a Volkswagen Touareg carrying 10 automatic rifles, seven pistols, and 3,887 rounds of ammunition as well as uniforms with insignia of Mexico's former Federal Investigations Agency, AFI.
Ivanovich was included earlier this year in a DEA poster seeking information on 10 drug suspects, none of whom are under U.S. indictment, believed to make up the new hierarchy of the Arellano Felix organization, Three of the 10, including Ivanovich, are now in the custody of Mexican federal authorities. The other two are Jose Filiberto Parra Ramos and Isaac Manuel Godoy Castro.
Authorities say that Ivanovich took over the operations end of the Arellano Felix cartel, replacing Gustavo Rivera Martinez, who was detained in March 2008 in Baja California Sur. Rivera is a U.S. citizen who faces numerous drug-trafficking charges in San Diego, but remains in custody of Mexican officials, the DEA said.
Sandra Dibble: sandra.dibble(at)uniontrib.com |
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