The Canadian Press, 11/9/2010
Police arrested a reputed Sinaloa cartel associate Monday who is suspected of plotting with one of Mexico’s most wanted drug lords to smuggle eight tons of marijuana into the U.S. by the end of this year.
Manuel “The Sow” Fernandez Valencia was taken into custody after a 20-minute standoff between police and gunmen, according to a statement by federal police.
The statement did not report any gunfire or casualties during the confrontation. It said seven other men suspected of working for the cartel were detained with Fernandez Valencia.
Police said Fernandez Valencia worked closely with cartel capo Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman smuggling drugs into the United States. He has been wanted for extradition to the U.S. since 2009 on charges of trafficking heroin and cocaine, and the two met at least five times recently, police said.
