Drug gang leader who sowed terror in south Mexico arrested

Federal police and soldiers say they have arrested the leader of the “Rojos” gang that sowed terror in southern Mexico.

The Public Safety Department identified Santiago Mazari only by his nickname, “El Carrete,” but a government wanted poster lists that as an alias for Mazari. The poster offers a $150,000 reward for Mazari and says he is wanted on charges of organized crime, drug trafficking, kidnapping and other crimes.

The department said late Thursday that Mazari was arrested along with another suspect in the mountains of the southern state of Guerrero.

Mazari allegedly led extortion, killings and kidnappings throughout Guerrero and neighboring Morelos state.

A rival gang killed 43 teachers’ college students in 2014 because they believed the youths were working for the Rojos.