Roberto “Beto” Bazán-Salinas was wanted on an international arrest warrant for smuggling various drug shipments.
The U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested Roberto “Beto” Bazán-Salinas in Guanajuato, central Mexico. He was associated with the Gulf Cartel and wanted for his involvement in smuggling various drug shipments, according to an official statement released Friday (March 6, 2026).
The arrest of Bazán-Salinas was announced by HSI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Friday after a joint operation with the Mexican Attorney General’s Office and with support from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Salamanca, Guanajuato, the statement detailed.
Bazán-Salinas had been wanted on an international arrest warrant since January 21, when ICE issued the alert with his photograph.
The detainee is accused of trafficking several shipments of cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana from Mexico to the United States.
His capture adds to other recent high-profile operations against drug traffickers wanted by the U.S. in Mexican territory, such as the death last February of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias “El Mencho,” leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, in a military operation.
Although it sparked episodes of violence in various regions of the country, the death of “El Mencho” marked a milestone in the fight against organized crime.
Furthermore, Mexico has intensified bilateral cooperation with Washington through the extradition of alleged cartel members, including 37 criminals sent to the United States between 2025 and 2026 to face federal charges in joint anti-drug trafficking operations.
Source: dw
