A Sinaloa Cartel leader, who has ties to El Chapo's four sons known as Los Chapitos, was about to undergo facial surgery in a clinic in Mexico when authorities arrested him.

Hector Flores, also known as "El 15," was reportedly arrested Friday by the Mexican Army and National Guard at a clinic in Guamuchil in Mexico's Sinaloa state.

Flores had a scheduled facial surgery at that time to change his appearance and avoid being captured, the Daily Mail reported.

In a press conference on Monday, Quintana Roo Attorney General Oscar Montes de Oca said aside from transforming his face, the Sinaloa Cartel leader also had some hair grafts done to look completely different from his original self.

Montes de Oca noted that security forces searched for Flores for about seven or eight months. El 15 reportedly led a group linked to Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera's four sons, who head the Los Chapitos faction. 

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Sinaloa Cartel Leader 'El 15' Transferred to Cancun After Being Arrested

Hector Flores is accused of overseeing the cartel operations in the resort city of Cancun in Quintana Roo state. After being arrested in Guamuchil, Sinaloa, he was quickly transferred back to Cancun.

According to El Pais, El 15, whose strong ties to El Chapo's sons made him more notable than many other cartel leaders, has managed to evade authorities for months after the Quintana Roo Prosecutor's Office issued an arrest warrant for his capture.

There was even a reward of half a million pesos for information on his whereabouts. Flores was allegedly responsible for directing violent attacks across Mexico's Caribbean state, with the latest incident being the murder of four men last month.

The victims' bodies were found in front of the Fiesta Americana Condesa Hotel in Cancun on April 4. The infamous Sinaloa Cartel leader has been linked to these killings.

El 15 reportedly oversees his area's drug marketplace as a plaza boss. He was allegedly one of the major reasons why violence in Cancun has risen. Multiple drug cartels vie for supremacy in the resort area.

According to Infobae, El 15 was also responsible for recent armed attacks in two popular bars in Cancun - the Las Micheladas del Tío Toño and Deja Vu. 

El Chapo's Sons, Known as Los Chapitos, Deny Being Leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel

El Chapo's sons, namely Ovidio Guzman Lopez, Joaquin Guzman Lopez, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar, and Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, are collectively known as the Los Chapitos.

They had reportedly assumed leadership roles in the Sinaloa Cartel after their father was arrested and extradited to the US. 

El Chapo's sons were among 29 members and leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel who the US Department of Justice indicted on April 14. The indictment charged them with large-scale drug trafficking, money laundering, and "violent crimes." 

However, El Chapo's sons have denied allegations that they were major drug traffickers flooding the US with fentanyl.

In a letter published by the Mexican news outlet Milenio earlier this month, El Chapo's sons wrote: "We have never produced, manufactured or marketed fentanyl or any of its derivatives." 

The letter was sent to Milenio by Jose Refugio Rodriguez, who confirmed to Reuters that he is a lawyer of the Guzman family.

The Los Chapitos also denied being the leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel, saying they were just victims of an international misinformation campaign by firms, the media, and public figures that have painted them to be notorious drug traffickers.

"We are not the head of the Sinaloa Cartel nor are we interested in being... We are victims of persecution and have been made into scapegoats," they wrote.

Only three of the Los Chapitos remain at large as Ovidio Guzman was already arrested last January 5 by Mexican authorities in Mexico's Sinaloa state. He remains detained in Mexico pending extradition proceedings to the US.

READ MORE: Los Chapitos, Among 28 Sinaloa Cartel Members Charged by US Government

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: ¿De qué se le acusa a 'El 15' de 'Los Chapitos'? - From MILENIO