Capture of Mexico crime boss prompts blockades near U.S. border

A "Welcome to Mexico" sign in Reynosa, Mexico is seen from Hidalgo, Texas, Thursday, May 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Veronica G. Cardenas)

MEXCIO CITY - The leader of a notorious Mexican criminal gang was captured in the northern city of Reynosa, unleashing highway blockades and shootouts near the U.S. border, authorities said Monday.

The suspect, identified as Alexander N, is accused of being a “priority target” and member of a criminal gang acting in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas, the spokesperson for local security forces said on X.

Mexican news outlets reported the individual heads a faction of the Gulf Cartel known as the Metros, part of a criminal coalition that has been weakened in recent years following the capture of multiple leaders.

The arrest prompted a highly visible reaction by presumed criminals, who obstructed passage in and out of Reynosa with eight highway blockades.

Since dawn, social media users have posted warnings to stay at home to avoid roadblocks and shootouts.

Authorities reestablished order without reports of injuries, according to the security spokesperson.

Reynosa lies just across the border from McAllen, Texas and is home to the Gulf Cartel, historically one of the most powerful crime syndicates in Mexico.

The administration of US President Donald Trump has pressured his Mexican counterpart Claudia Sheinbaum to crack down on organized crime gangs in order to stop the northbound flow of the drug fentanyl.

Sheinbaum has repeatedly rejected US offers of drone strikes or ground troops for fighting Mexican cartels.