Alleged Drug Lord 'La Barbie' Captured in Mexico

Mexico officials have announced the capture of drug kingpin Edgar Valdez Villarreal, or perhaps better known by his alias "La Barbie." He faces charges of drug trafficking in the U.S. In addition, Villarreal has also been charged with fueling a turf war in Mexico that involved the brutal deaths of many. Several drug lords are still fighting in Mexico for dominance of the narcotics market.

Villarreal, a native of Texas, was arrested near Mexico City after a shootout with police. His capture would award a grand sum of $2 million. Between 2004 and 2006, he had distributed over a thousand pounds of cocaine in the U.S. He was coined "La Barbie" because of his likeness to a Ken doll, likely from his blue eyes and fair complexion.

According to the Public Safety Department, the capture of Villarreal was the result of a yearlong intelligence operation. The announcement of his capture was timely, as the government had just sacked around 10 percent of the police force in an attempt to lower corruption levels.

As of right now, it remains unclear where Villarreal will be tried. A Houston lawyer has said that Villarreal may be tortured, or even worse, in jail, and he wishes for Villarreal to be tried in the U.S.

According to CBS, President Felipe Calderon described Villarreal on Twitter as "one of the most wanted criminals in Mexico and abroad." Operations to capture the rest of his drug gang are still ongoing.

Six others were also arrested with Villarreal, as they aided him with his operations. They are Maricela Reyes Lozada, 40; Juan Antonio Lopez Reyes, 26; Maritzel Lopez Reyes, 18; Mauricio Lopez Reyes, 25; Arturo Ivan Arroyo, 26; and Jorge Valentin Landa Coronado, 28.

The crackdown on these drug lords has found some success as of late, as he is the third to be brought down within a year. While a few have been killed by police forces during their attempted capture, the rest have mainly been incarcerated. Considering how similar Villarreal is to these other drug lords, he will likely be incarcerated as well, regardless of where he is tried.

The capture of Villarreal signifies another step against drug gang violence, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives. There is no doubt that this is something worth fighting against.

Sources
'La Barbie' captured; Mexico says alleged drug lord nabbed - CBS News
Suspected drug lord captured in Mexico state - Los Angeles Times
Texas born 'La Barbie' arrested in Mexico as drug kingpin - USA Today
Mexican drug kingpin La Barbie arrested - Telegraph
La Barbie captured: Edgar Valdez Villarreal caught after shootout - NowPublic