El Oso of the Sinaloa Cartel arrested

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Milenio article

Subject Matter: El Oso, Rey David Santiago Vargas, CDS, El Licenciado, Sons of El Chapo
Recommendation: No prior subject matter knowledge required

Rey David Santiago Vargas was captured in 2016, when he worked under the orders of El Licenciado, but he was set at liberty due to the case against him not being proven.

Reporter: Ruben Mosso
Elements of the Federal Police apprehended Rey David Santiago Vargas, El Oso, alleged operator of the Sinaloa Cartel under the orders of Ivan Archivaldo and Alfredo Guzman Salazar, sons of capo Joaquin El Chapo Guzman.


The suspect had been captured in 2016 by the special forces of the Mexican Marines, at that time he worked under the command of Damaso Lopez Nunez, El Licenciado, who was detained in May of the present year in Mexico City, however, Santiago was set free under the law.

El Oso was found in the city of Hermosillo, Sonora, and according to the primary reports he is responsible for coordination of the criminal cells that operate in the towns of Culiacan, El Dorado, Mezquitillo and Sanchez Celis, he was dedicated to surveillance of the authorities, as well as kidnapping, extortion and operations against rival groups.





Yesterday, the elite group of the anti-drug division of the Federal Police, carried out the arrest warrant against Rey David. Authorities of the National Commission for Security confirmed that El Oso was detained in 2016.

They confirmed his alleged responsibility for the crimes of carry of firearms for the exclusive use of the Army, and use of false documents, and had proceeded to find him and arrest him again.

First Capture

In October of 2016, elements of the Marines trapped Rey David Santiago in the waste ground of San Jose de Guanajuato, Sinaloa, who at that time was identified as the plaza boss in Baja California Sur and worked under the orders of El Licenciado.

The Marines confiscated a 9mm firearm and diverse false documents. His location was discovered when Marines were patrolling the Mazatlan - Culiacan highway. The criminal group that worked under Santiago Vargas operated in Sinaloa and Baja California Sur, under the orders of El Licenciado.

On the 2nd of May of this year, personnel of the Criminal Investigation Agency of the PGR, captured El Licenciado in Mexico City, he was designated as one of the new leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, who had helped El Chapo Guzman escape from the maximum security prison of Puente Grande in Jalisco in 2001, but this year had started a war with the sons of El Chapo that had left dozens of dead in Sinaloa.

El Licenciado was found in the Nueva Anzures Colonia in the Miguel Hidalgo delegation, where soldiers, in support of the PGR achieved the capture of the capo. Damaso is originally from Sinaloa and was 50 years old at the time of his capture, he worked in the Puente Grande prison and after the escape of El Chapo rose up the ranks in the Sinaloa Cartel to be one of its leaders.

After his detention, Damaso Lopez related to authorities that he had formed an alliance with the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generacion. He also said he was ready to come to an agreement with the United States, so that he could be extradited at the earliest possible date because of the fear he had of being assassinated in a Mexican prison.

In July of this year, Damaso Lopez Serrano, El Mini-Lic, son of El Licenciado, was found in the USA by the DEA. The Federal authorities said that El Mini-Lic crossed the frontier line that divides Mexicali in Baja California and Calexico, California.

Lopez Serrano and his father controlled the criminal cells known as Los Antrax and Los Montana, and maintained a dispute with Aurelio Guzman Loera, El Guano, brother of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, and with his sons, for control of the Sinaloa Cartel.