El Cuervo of the CDS Falls in Tijuana

Enjaulan a El Cuervo.
A boss of sicarios from the Sinaloa Cartel was arrested following a military operation in coast of Baja California.

The man was identified as Jehová Israel Ilhuicatzi, "El Cuervo" who was working under the command of Rene Arteaga, "La Rana" brother of Alfredo Arteaga "El Aquiles" a middle level boss of the Sinaloa cartel in Tijuana and Playas de Rosarito.

There are reports that El Cuervo was taking orders directly from El Tigre, a man in the inner circle of Joaquin Guzman Loera. He is also considered the successor of Hector Guajardo Hernandez "El Güicho."

This is the official report:

El Cuervo is Caged
The boss of the gunmen belonging to the Sinaloa Cartel in the Tijuana-Playas de Rosarito area known as El Cuervo, was arrested in a sweep from the Mexican military on the border region.

The authorities did not clarify how Cuervo was arrested, although unofficial sources reported that the alleged criminal was arrested east of the city when he was in an SUV and was intercepted by the Mexican military.

The state prosecutor said Ilhuicatzi Morales was identified as the mastermind in the assassination attempt of a low lever drug dealer from a rival group on November 1 in the community of El Tecolote, south of the city.

A spokesman for the Municipal Public Security Ministry in Tijuana, Julián Domínguez, said that on that day four people were arrested after a shootout and pursuit when they tried to kill Jesús Omar Acuña Parra, 27, apparently because he used to distribute narcotics for them and he owed them some due payments.

The men arrested were identified as Juan Manuel Bocanegra Fortánez, 27, Antonio Cedano Cuellar, 35, and Gastelum Manuel Hernandez, 29.

There was also Héctor Flores Jurado, 29, who was admitted to the general hospital under the custody of the police after being shot in the buttocks during the shooting.

The deputy attorney general assigned to organized crime for the PGJE, Abel Galvan said the low level drug traffickers that were detained Nomeber 1, 2011 took orders from Ilhuicatzi Morales, El Cuervo.

They are related to at least eleven murders that occurred in Tijuana and Playas de Rosarito linked to drug dealing and "cobros de piso" or "fee to operate" said Deputy Attorney General assigned to organized crime for the PGJE, Abel Galvan, when he confirmed the arrests.

Galvan said the four detainees told the state attorney that they receive direct orders from Morales Ilhuicatzi.

Through previous investigations it is believed that Jehová Israel Ilhuicatzi ordered and participated in executions of rival gang members in the region during the last three months.

A package with some of the marijuana seized after discovering a major cross-border drug tunnel linking warehouses in Otay Mesa industrial park and Tijuana, Mexico, is seen in Otay Mesa, California November 16, 2011.

One source points out that El Cuervo took orders from Alfredo Arteaga "El Aquiles" who is said to be a lieutenant in the Cartel de Sinaloa (CDS) led by the one and only Joaquin El Chapo Guzman in this border region and who is said to be responsible for the 18 tons of marijuana that were seized in Tijuana in packages bearing the image of Captain America that were destined for the United States.

El Cuervo was arrested by troops of the Second Military Region and was said to be the successor of Hector Guajardo Hernandez "El Güicho" that was responsible in the transportation of drugs and executions on behalf of the CDS in the southern part of Tijuana.

The detainee was transferred to Mexico City where he will be presented to the media by the military forces (video fortcoming).

Criminal History
On May of 2011 when Héctor Eduardo Hernández Guajardo "El Güicho" was arrested, these criminals had worked for Rene Arteaga "La Rana," but under the orders of "Rosy," sister of El Güicho, El Cuervo became Arteaga's right hand man. According to reports from the Security Council El Cuervo is brother of Edgar Rene an active Tijuana police officer assigned to forensic investigations in the region of La Gloria.

The official story is that "El Cuervo" is about 34 years old, and at the age of 22 he already had three pending warrants for his arrest on car theft, a year later he was responsible for injuries to a victim on case number 935/207. In 2001 the authorities were looking for him in at least three occasions for "breach of family obligations." In addition, accomplices have identified him as the perpetrator of dozens of executions until he become one of the most wanted by Mexican authorities.

Jehová Israel Ilhuicatzi, “El Jeo”, “Jeova” or “El Cuervito” has already been previously arrested. On March 26, 2010 he was apprehended for carrying firearms that are only allowed to be used by the armed forces, but was granted bail by the Thirteenth District Court.

He was detained at the Centro de Readaptación Social de La Mesa under the criminal case 2459/210 and 203/2010, after being arrested by members of the municipal police on the street corner of Escultores and Sánchez Taboada. The police officers felt that the Silverado pickup truck with California plates he was driving was suspicious, They stopped him and he was in possession of three loaded handguns. El Cuervo was arrested along with Ever Tavares Félix and Juan Manuel Félix but they were set free three days later.

Captain America

There is a connection between the arrest of El Cuervo and the discovery of a tunnel in Tijuana. There is an uncomfirmed statement from a source that the discovery of a tunnel and subsequence seizure of 18 tons of marijuana in Tijuana was ditectly tied to Cuervo and might have led to his arrest. Some of the packets of marijuana had images of "Captain America," Sprite and Bud Light. The bails with the Captain America code were placed to identify the owners of the packages which are said to be of Aquiles and Cuervo.

‘Stop at Nothing’

“The fact that this is the third sophisticated cross-border tunnel found within a year’s time demonstrates the cartels will stop at nothing to smuggle their drugs into the United States,” said William R. Sherman, acting special agent in charge for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in San Diego.

“The seizure of marijuana coupled with the loss of yet another tunnel will deal a heavy blow to those responsible for constructing this tunnel,” he added.

Evidence found inside the warehouse led investigators to believe the tunnel was only recently completed.

Mexican General Gilberto Landeros said many packets of the seized drugs were marked with a “Captain America” logo. Landeros said the tunnel was operated by the powerful Sinaloa cartel, headed by Mexico’s most wanted man, Joaquin “Shorty“ Guzman.

Mexico is in the grip of brutal drug cartel violence that has claimed more than 52,000 lives since President Felipe Calderon took office five years ago and sent the military to crush the powerful gangs.