Officials: Zeta leader arrested in Matamoros
The Mexican Federal Police in Matamoros have arrested a Zeta leader after a three-month investigation, officials said.
Tomas Ochoa Celis, aka Tommy, was arrested Thursday evening in the Eva Samano neighborhood of Matamoros, said a Mexican Federal Police (SSP) press release.
Ochoa was turned over to the special prosecutors for organized crime (SIEDO) who continue investigating the case.
The arrest was carried out through an SSP investigation, with intelligence assistance from various U.S. agencies, which tracked Ochoa to Matamoros, the agency said.
During the operation, federal police officers also seized an AR-15 assault rifle, a fragmentation grenade, a bulletproof vest and 11 cell phones, SSP said.
According to the SSP, Ochoa was the Zeta leader in charge of the area known as the Emerald Coast in the Mexican state of Veracruz. Mexican officials say the Zeta organization is led by Heriberto Lazcano, aka El Lazca, who remains at large.
Ochoa would report his activities to Alberto Jose Gonzalez Xalate, aka El Paisa, who is also at large and in charge of the group’s activities in Reynosa, the agency said. Ochoa was also identified as one of the leaders in the transportation of cocaine from Guatemala to the town of Diaz Ordaz, Tamaulipas, SSP said.
The cocaine was transported through Comitan Chiapas, on the border with Guatemala, through the states of Tabasco, Veracruz and Tamaulipas until it reached the community of Diaz Ordaz, where it was stored in warehouses before being moved to the U.S., the agency said.
Each cocaine shipment was approximately one ton and was transported using tractor-trailers with hidden compartments, the agency said. The payment for the drugs was shipped out using the same trucks with hidden compartments, SSP added.
Once in custody, Ochoa said he was paid $20,000 per month for the drugs he was moving.
In 1996, Ochoa was convicted on the charges of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled substance —- cocaine with intent to distribute, and unlawful possession of firearms.
