SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Mexican special forces commandos arrested long-time fugitive Leobardo Garcia Corrales in Mexico City this week.
Garcia Corrales — aka “Leo,” “Leo 18” or “Leobas” — was a confidant and business associate of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada when both ran the Sinaloa Cartel.
In recent years, he had been working with the “Chapitos,” Guzman’s sons and leader of a splinter group of the Sinaloa Cartel.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says “Leo” was involved in the manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
The U.S. State Department was offering a $4 million reward for information leading to his arrest.
According to the DEA, Garcia Corrales was also regarded as a major illegal gun and explosives dealer.
In April 2023, he was indicted by a grand jury in New York City after undercover agents recorded him making a deal to deliver up to 1,000 kilos of fentanyl through the mail, at a price of $15,000 per kilo to New York.
He is also said to have been involved in exporting 10 kilos of fentanyl to California in 2022.
“Leo” had evaded arrest for many years until Wednesday when his car was stopped on Adolfo Ruiz Cortines Boulevard in the Jardines de la Montaño neighborhood in Mexico City.
According to Mexico’s Attorney General, commandos from Mexico’s Navy, as well as personnel from Mexico’s Defense Ministry, National Guard and Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection were involved in Garcia Corrales’ arrest.
The U.S. is expected to seek his extradition.
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