MEXICO CITY, Sept 22 - Mexican security officials announced the arrest of an alleged drug trafficker accused of organizing and financing a network that moved chemical precursors used to make fentanyl from China into Mexico and the United States.
Authorities identified the individual as Jose Angel Rivera, who is also known by the alias Don Flaco. Rivera was detained in Mexico City on Tuesday as part of an operation described by the country's security minister. The minister, Omar Garcia Harfuch, said the arrest was the result of a joint operation carried out alongside the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and reported the development in a post on X.
According to the statement accompanying the arrest, Rivera faces accusations of coordinating and financing an organization dedicated to transporting the chemical precursors that can be used in the production of fentanyl. The alleged movement of those materials is said to have linked shipments from China to distribution routes in Mexico and into the United States.
Rivera had previously been targeted by U.S. measures. The U.S. State Department imposed sanctions on him in January 2023, citing his alleged involvement in fentanyl trafficking into the United States.
Commenting on the operation, the security minister emphasized the role of international cooperation. "Through international cooperation, shared responsibility, and unrestricted respect for our sovereignty, we are cutting off the flow of money that finances the criminal organizations causing so much harm in Mexico and other countries," Harfuch said in his post on X.
Earlier on the same day, U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations and described Mexico as the epicenter of drug cartel violence, saying the country needed to reclaim control of its territory. The president's remarks came before the announcement of the arrest.
This report is based on official statements from Mexican security authorities and public comments by U.S. officials referenced by those authorities. Details provided by authorities include the suspect's name and alias, the nature of the allegations, the involvement of U.S. law enforcement agencies in the operation, the prior U.S. sanction, and the minister's public statement on international cooperation.