27 Dec 2011

Mexico drug cartel figure captured

1:35 pm on 27 December 2011

The authorities in Mexico say they have arrested the chief bodyguard of the country's most-wanted drugs baron, fugitive Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquin El Chapo Guzman.

The bodyguard, Felipe Cabrera Sarabia, known as "the Engineer", was detained by army special forces.

Army spokesman Colonel Ricardo Trevilla says Mr Cabrera had been promoted to take charge of cartel operations.

More than 40,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence in Mexico since December 2006, the BBC reports.

Since then, the government of President Felipe Calderon has been deploying the military to fight the gangs.