Authorities are seeking to tighten the siege on the alleged murderer of two Jesuit priests and a tourist guide: José Noriel Portillo Gil, nicknamed el Chueco. The Ministry of Public Security of Chihuahua announced on Thursday the arrest of his cousin, César Iván Portillo, as part of the actions to clarify the murders committed on Monday.
The apprehension of César Iván Portillo and another man was made while they were traveling in a vehicle in possession of two long guns, a handgun and drugs.
The agency explained that security personnel were participating in the search operation for those responsible for the murder of the priests and the guide when, in a dirt gap, they ran into a van manned by the two men, who tried to escape.
“The subjects identified themselves as César Iván P. P. and Humberto B. C., and their arrest was made in a dirt gap in the Cuiteco section of the municipality of Urique,” local authorities said.
Read: “People like this do not abound in this country”: this was the work of Joaquín Mora and Javier Campos, Jesuits murdered in Chihuahua
They said they secured two .223-caliber long guns, a .45-caliber handgun, 10 servings of a cocaine-like white powder and five plastic packages containing marijuana-like weeds.
In a statement, the prosecutor’s office reported that the detainees and the insured were made available to the agent of the Public Ministry.
Jose Noriel Portillo Gil has become the most wanted man in the north of the country after federal authorities identified him as the alleged killer of the two Jesuit priests in Urique, Chihuahua.
Portillo Gil is the alleged leader of a criminal group that controls the Sierra Tarahumara and has been linked to the Sinaloa Cartel.
Read: 4 people were kidnapped in Chihuahua community where Jesuits were murdered; deploy search operation
The Chihuahua prosecutor’s office announced the reward of 5 million pesos for information that helps the capture of the Chueco.
At the request of the state prosecutor’s office, the National Migration Institute issued an immigration alert on behalf of José Noriel Portillo Gil.
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