Sinaloa Cartel Boss El Mayo's Top Aide, 'El Lupe' Tapia Quintero, Arrested in Mexico

Jose Guadalupe "El Lupe" Tapia Quintero, a top aide of Sinaloa Cartel boss Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, was arrested in Mexico's state of Sinaloa early Thursday.

The U.S. Treasury Department considered El Lupe as El Mayo's partner "responsible for acquiring and coordinating cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking from Sinaloa to Arizona and California," El Pais reported.

Since 2014, El Lupe has been regarded as the main logistics manager for the Sinaloa Cartel's El Mayo faction. According to Vallarta Daily, the Sinaloa Cartel leader was arrested by the National Guard and military personnel in Culiacan during the early hours of Thursday.

El Pais reported that the operation in Tacuichamona town that led to El Lupe's arrest was wide-scale, complete with helicopters. It came just a few months after Mexican authorities arrested his son, Heibar Josue Tapia, who was also working with the Sinaloa Cartel.

READ NEXT: Hector Luis 'El Guero' Palma Salazar, Who Founded Sinaloa Cartel With El Chapo, Taken to Hospital

Who Is El Mayo's Top Aide, Jose Guadalupe 'El Lupe' Tapia Quintero, of Sinaloa Cartel?

The U.S. Department of the Treasury previously described Jose Guadalupe "El Lupe" Tapia Quintero as a "senior lieutenant" of the Sinaloa Cartel. He reportedly plays a significant role "in the drug trafficking" of Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and "international drug trafficking."

In a 2014 statement, the Treasury Department noted that El Lupe "oversees the transportation of cocaine and marijuana" for El Mayo's group and "is responsible for coordinating the acquisition and transportation of cocaine and methamphetamine from Sinaloa to the United States, specifically Arizona, and California, on a monthly basis."

The department further noted that El Lupe was also an operator for "a cell affiliated" with Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera, which moved methamphetamine from Sinaloa to Tijuana and Baja California hidden inside tractor trailers.

After El Chapo was arrested and extradited to the United States, where he is serving a sentence, a year later or in 2015, the Sinaloa Cartel split into two factions. One is loyal to the four sons of El Chapo, known as "Los Chapitos," and the other is loyal to El Mayo.

El Lupe chose to go with the latter faction and has become one of Zambada's most trusted henchmen. Milenio reported that El Lupe had a series of front transportation and moving companies that he used to smuggle illegal drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Before he became El Mayo's top aide, El Lupe used to be a municipal police officer, and he took advantage of his position to become one of the Sinaloa Cartel's top bosses.

U.S. DEA Indicts Sinaloa Cartel Leader 'El Lupe' on Various Drug and Money Laundering Charges

Jose Guadalupe "El Lupe" Tapia Quintero is wanted in Mexico and the United States. Long before his arrest in Mexico, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reportedly unsealed various indictments against the Sinaloa Cartel leader.

In February 2013, El Lupe was indicted by a federal grand jury on various counts, including conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine with intent to import, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.

Since then, the Justice Department started to process a request for his arrest for extradition purposes. Meanwhile, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada has never been imprisoned. The Sinaloa Cartel boss has been wanted in Mexico since 1998.

El Mayo also became the highest priced fugitive in Chicago after the U.S. State Department increased its offer from $5 million to $15 million for information that will result in his arrest. El Mayo is facing a multi-count federal drug indictment in Chicago.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: The Sinaloa Cartel Is Alive And Thriving Without El Chapo - From VICE News