Mexican cartel leader who faked own death arrested in US

A high-ranking Mexican cartel leader who faked his own death to "live a life of luxury" in California has been arrested and charged with drug trafficking, US officials said Thursday.

Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa was arrested in Riverside, California, on Tuesday, the Justice Department said in a statement.

Gutierrez-Ochoa is the son-in-law of Nemesio Oseguera-Cervantes, 58, also known as El Mencho, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel, which the officials described as "one of the world's most violent and prolific drug trafficking organizations."

Nicole Argentieri, a senior Justice Department official, said Gutierrez-Ochoa "allegedly directed the importation of tons of methamphetamine and cocaine into the United States and engaged in violence to aid the cartel's criminal activities."

Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Gutierrez-Ochoa "allegedly faked his own death and assumed a false identity to evade justice and live a life of luxury in California."

According to court documents, Gutierrez-Ochoa began working for the Jalisco cartel in 2014 and coordinated the shipment of 40,000 kilograms (88,000 pounds) of methamphetamine and 2,000 kilograms of cocaine from Mexico to the United States.

In 2021, he allegedly kidnapped two members of the Mexican navy in an attempt to secure the release of Oseguera-Cervantes's wife, who had been arrested by the Mexican authorities.

Oseguera-Cervantes, the Jalisco cartel founder, has also been indicted in the United States and the State Department has offered a $10 million reward for his capture.