And Then There was the Sister of El Muletas

Tijuana, BC - Four suspected members of a kidnapping ring linked to the Arellano Félix drug gang were in custody on February 19, 2010, accused of at least six abductions in the Tijuana area, Baja California authorities said.

Authorities said they belonged to a criminal cell with more than 10 members who kidnapped and killed their victims. The detentions resulted from a six-month investigation by the state’s anti-kidnapping squad, said Attorney General Rommel Moreno Manjarrez.

Arrested Tuesday at a body shop was Andres Pacheco Contreras, 21, whose job was to make sure no police were around when crimes occurred, authorities said. The other detainees were Armando Molina Juárez, 37; César Guadalupe Peñuelas Cázares, 36; and Julio César Peñuelas Juárez, 35 who allegedly confessed to carrying out between 15 and 20 abductions.

Authorities have confirmed the release of Diana López Uriarte, age 24. She is the sister of Raydel López Uriarte, El Muletas, a suspected drug trafficker and rival of the Arellano Félix who was detained on February 9. She was found abandoned on February 16, 2010 in the La Mesa area, Diana Uriarte said the same people who had kidnapped her, released her. Lopez Uriarte was found by police on a Tijuana sidewalk, blindfolded, beaten and with her hands and feet bound.

The woman’s boyfriend, Tomas Alberto Rosales Cruz, was found dead on February 17, 2010. Moreno said the suspects did not demand a ransom, and that the motive for the crimes had not been established.

The victim was abducted February 4 outside a Tijuana supermarket along with her boyfriend, Tomas Alberto Rosales Cruz. She was kidnapped by the men of Sanchez Arellano cartel.

With extreme violence the sister Raydel Lopez Uriarte, aka "El Muletas" was kidnapped on February 4, 2010 after her car was intercepted by a heavily armed command. "El Muletas" is considered second in command in the "Arellano Felix Cartel.

This is in relation to Diana Lopez Uriarte, 25 years old, who was deprived of his liberty around 12:00 pm yesterday when she arrived at the parking lot of the supermarket "Soriana" located in the streets of Agua Caliente and Sonora.

Information obtained by other sources reveals that the young woman arrived in a 2009 white Ford Focus and when she got out of her vehicle she was intercepted by at least four subjects heavily armed and with strong verbal commands they took her in a black van.

Presumably, the suspects were following her very close and they did not care if there was any witnesses who might testify to the incident. They left in a caravan of at least six vehicles occupied by a command of thugs.

In response to his sister's abduction, Raydell Uriate had relatives of Sanchez Arellano kidnapped and killed.

Diana López Uriarte was not the only person that was set free. In the last days three people were set free and are alleged to be relatives of Fernando Sanchez Arellano Felix, "El Ingeniero", and the alleged leader of the Arellano Felix cartel.

"At seven in the morning on February 16, 2010 it was reported that the three were seen roaming the Zona Rio. Someone lent them money to make a call. There were three adults in ages of 25, 30 and 36 years.

When asked about their relationship with Sanchez Arellano, the three denied having any family connection, plus they said that they did not know who the armed men were and why they took them away.

But from this group there is also a man that was also abducted and his whereabouts are unknown.

Federal authorities claimed that after Raydel Lopez Uriarte was captured, he confessed that one of his quad abducted these people to pressure "El Ingeniero" in order to free his sister.