Gunfights With Cartel in Mexico's Culiacan Leave 1 Dead, 27 Wounded After Arrest of El Chapo's Son

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - One individual has died, and 27 have been wounded in gunfights with the members of the Sinaloa Cartel in the city of Culiacan, which had broken out after the arrest of drug lord Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Ruben Rocha Moya, the governor of the Mexican state of Sinaloa, said on Thursday.

Mexican Defense Secretary Luis Cresencio Sandoval Gonzalez said earlier in the day that Guzman Lopez, the son of incarcerated drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, has been apprehended in Culiacan and later taken to Mexico City. The arrest spurred gunfights with the cartel in the city.

"At this moment, we can say that the events are over. Roads have been closed in Culiacan, Los Mochis and Esquinapa; we are already clearing the streets... 27 people suffered gunshot wounds in the clashes, a National Guard soldier was killed, at least three civilians were wounded," the governor told the Formula broadcaster.

According to local authorities, the cartel's members hijacked or burned about 250 cars. Security services had blocked at least 18 streets and halted the operation of three airports, some of which had come under fire.

Local media reported, citing a source at the Culiacan airport, that the cartel fired large-caliber weapons at two helicopters and a Mexican Air Force transport plane, prompting the latter to burst into flames during landing due to engine damage.

Cristobal Castaneda, the public security secretary in the state of Sinaloa, said earlier in the day that seven police officers and several military personnel had been injured, with no fatalities. He added that Mexico's security forces had prevented the attack on a local prison and the attempted escape of some prisoners.

According to Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard, the United States requested Guzman Lopez's extradition in 2019. He added that the criminal would not be immediately extradited to the US as he must answer for crimes under criminal cases currently underway in Mexico.

FILE - On October 17, 2019, a video fragment provided by the Mexican government shows Ovidio Guzmán López at the time of his arrest, in Culiacan, Mexico. Mexican security forces were forced to release the son of Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman that day after a shootout in the western city of Culiacan.

© AP Photo / CEPROPIE

According to Mexico's Defense Ministry, Guzman Lopez headed the youth wing of the Sinaloa Cartel and had criminal activities in several Mexico's states. He is the son of "El Chapo," the former leader of the cartel, who has been serving a life sentence in the US since 2019.

Guzman Lopez was previously arrested in October 2019 but was released on the orders of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador following bloodshed in Culiacan organized by the cartel's members. The Mexican authorities then said that nine people had died and 23 had been wounded.