From Shorty to Crazy to Crutches – Mexico’s drug lords
The leader of the Knights Templar drugs cartel was killed for a second time on Sunday. His nickname? El Mas Loco. But have you ever heard of La Barbie? or El Pozolero?
1. El Pozolero
Santiago Meza Lopez, arrested in 2009, is known as El Pozolero after a local stew, and is accused by Mexico’s military of helping a drug lord dispose of his enemies by dissolving their bodies in acid.
2. El Muletas
Raydel Lopez Uriarte’s nickname was El Muletas (crutches) after the condition in which he left many of his victims.
He was among 10 drug suspects named on a DEA poster released in 2009, who are believed to be members of the new hierarchy of traffickers operating in the Baja California region.
3. El Chapo
Joaquin Guzman, the richest and most dangerous drug trafficker in history, was arrested in Mazatlan on Mexico’s Pacific coast in March. He is known by his nickname El Chapo – which means “shorty”.
US officials say he imported more drugs into the United States than anyone else in history. His nickname comes from his 5’6″ frame.
4. El Mas Loco
Nazario Moreno, who was falsely reported dead more than three years ago, was killed by the armed forces in western Mexico on on 9.
Known as El Mas Loco, or the “craziest one”, Moreno led a violent drug cartel that has savaged the western state of Michoacan.
5. La Tuta
Servando Gomez’s nickname is “La Tuta” (the teacher). He is a former teacher and leads the notorious Knights Templar drug cartel. Channel 4 News gained rare access to La Tuta in February.
6. La Barbie
Texas-born Edgar Valdez Villarreal, 40, is accused in Mexico of being part of the Beltran Leyva cartel and of managing groups of professional killers like Los Numeros and Los Maras.
Villarreal apparently got his nickname La Barbie because his blonde hair and blue eyes.
7. El Jabali
Jose Vazquez Villagrana allegedly imported drugs from Nicaragua, Colombia and Jamaica into Mexico via Panama, to be delivered to the Sinaloa cartel.
Planes carrying drugs landed at ranches owned by Vazquez. The drugs were stored at his ranch and then sent to the United States. His nickname is El Jabali – the wild boar.
8. El Grande
Sergio Villarreal Barragan is known as El Grande because he stands over 6’6″ tall. He was extradited to the United States in 2012.
Villarreal Barragan was allegedly involved in the drug trade, specifically cocaine, and handling the Beltrán Leyva Organization (BLO) finances.