Tepito Union leader tried weigh loss surgery and hair transplant to prevent identification

Chivis Martinez for Borderland Beat  from Reforma

Read El Profe's post for greater detail using this link

Roberto Mollado Esparza, "El Betito", alleged leader of the Tepito Union detained yesterday, had undergone a hair implant and surgery to lose more than 30 kilos [66 pounds] towards the goal of not being identified.

Renato Sales, National Security Commissioner, reported the capture of "El Betito", considered one of the main generators of violence in the nation’s capital.

The arrest, made in the framework of the operation Escudo Titán, occurred yesterday afternoon when the suspect was traveling on public roads in Colonia Rincón del Pedregal, in the Tlalpan Delegation.

"El Betito" was arrested along with his brother José "N", 50 years old, who apparently was guarding him.

In a message to media in the Ministry of the Interior, the Commissioner stated that "El Betito" used several homes to hide in,  in residential areas such as Polanco, Jardines del Pedregal and San Ángel to avoid detection by the authorities or rival groups.

The alleged criminal leader, 37 years old, was arrested with 10 thousand US dollars,  140 doses of "crystal" and a hand gun.

He has criminal records since 2008 and headed activities of drug dealing, extortion, dispossession, kidnapping, homicide and money laundering, especially in the center of Mexico City, but with probable operations in other delegations.

Sales stressed that La Unión Tepito is linked to the distribution of drugs and extortion in nightclubs in the Zona Rosa, Polanco, Condesa, as well as the collection of “piso” of various shops in various locales, mainly in the Delegation Cuauhtémoc.