Mexican federal police captured Teodoro García Simental, a drug trafficker famed for his gang’s alleged brutality, in an early-morning raid on Tuesday in the resort town of La Paz, Baja California, police said. The arrest of Mr. García, known as “El Teo,” is the second big blow to Mexican drug gangs in less than a month. In December, drug lord Arturo Beltrán Leyva was killed in a raid by Mexican Navy special forces. Mr. Beltran was the highest-ranking drug lord taken down by Mexico since 2003. Shortly before 6 a.m., dozens of federal police clad in bulletproof vests and wearing black ski masks raided a home in a posh neighborhood of La Paz, a seaside city that is popular with American retirees. No shots were fired in the raid, police said.
“This is one of the most wanted drug lords by both Mexico and the U.S.,” said Ramón Eduardo Pequeño, intelligence coordinator for Mexico’s Federal Police. He said the arrest followed a five-month-long intelligence operation that was assisted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The capture is welcome news for President Felipe Calderón, who is suddenly enjoying a run of success against powerful drug-trafficking organizations just as Mexico’s drug war sets records for violence — having claimed an estimated 7,700 lives last year.
Mr. García is listed among Mexico’s 24 most-wanted drug lords, with a reward of some $2.1 million offered for information leading to his arrest.
Mr. Calderón has sent an estimated 45,000 army troops to several states in a bid to stem the killings, the vast majority due to fighting among drug cartels for control of profitable drug-smuggling routes along the Mexican border with the U.S., the world’s biggest drug-consuming nation. So far, however, the army has failed to slow the violence.
The string of successes against drug lords may suggest the government is relying more on using intelligence to cripple drug gangs rather than brute military force, said George W. Grayson, a drugs expert and professor at the College of William and Mary.
“They used to knock down the door and then ask if the bad guy is in here rather than using intelligence ahead of time,” he said. “They will continue to send the military and federal police, but they’re relying much more on eavesdropping and on informants.”
Credits: Wall Street Journal

Addition by editor: Observed this morning around 6:30 am lot’s of helicopter traffic circling here at Fidepaz for app. 1 hour very close by. Connected the unusual air traffic to the helicopter flying school the mexican airforce operates here in La Paz yet been kinda surprised at the low altitude as well no position lights on. Assumed it was a night-flight exercise.

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