Mexico ( Second in command of the Tijuana Drug Cartel Arrested )

Mexican Army Captures “El Melvin”, Second in Command of Tijuana Cartel.

| Borderland Beat ReporterChivis

Contributed by "Tijuano" for Borderland Beat

Tijuana

Mexican Army servicemen apprehended a man identified as Melvin Gutierrez Quiroz aka “El Melvin”, second in command of the Arellano Felix Cartel(CAF), just below Fernando Sanchez Arellano aka “El Ingeniero”, this happened today in an operation in the Juarez suburb in Tijuana.

Gutierrez Quiroz is the one who in February 2012 sent threats against the Zeta magazine editorial staff in Tijuana, and whom at the time was believed to be followed real close by the authorities of both Mexico and USA.

Among the activities “El Melvin” performed was the collection of fees(cobro de piso) to other cartels for crossing drugs through Tijuana to the USA.

The Capture

About 10:00 am this morning, several units of the Mexican Army closed Television Avenue, near a church and a school where elements of the National Defense Ministry(Secretaria de la Defensa Nacional-SEDENA) performed an operation in the Juarez suburb , at first it was mentioned that a kidnapping victim was saved, this versión was later changed when it was confirmed that “El Melvin” was captured.

Gustavo Rivera aka “El P1

Who is “El Melvin”?

Melvin Gutierrez Quiroz began his criminal life with the Tijuana Cartel at the beginning of the 90´s under David Corona Barron aka “El CH”, whom he met in the Logan Heights gang in San Diego, California.

While under Barron’s command he was a hit man for Ramon Arellano Felix until “El CH” died in the ambush against journalist Jesus Blancornelas, director of Zeta Magazine.

When David Barron died “El Melvin” inherited the command of the Logan Heights sicarios working for the Tijuana Cartel, at the time he became part of Gustavo Rivera´s criminal cell, Gustavo Rivera aka “P1” was apprehended in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur after the DEA found him.

After years working for the Tijuana Cartel, “El Melvin”[at left] became a cell leader and at the moment was considered the main enforcer of Fernando Sanchez Arellano.

He controlled the drug shipments that were smuggled in the Otay area and was believed to be the owner of many of the narco-tunnels found there.

In 2011 he was believed to be working alongside Alfredo Arteaga aka “El Aquiles” for the Sinaloa Cartel but this was never confirmed, other versions say that he was in charge of collecting the narco fees from ”El Aquiles” rather than working for him.