Sinaloa Cartel: Alleged Kingpin's Brother Arrested At Arizona Border Crossing

NOGALES, AZ — Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was the longtime leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, an international drug trafficking and organized crime group in northern Mexico. After his arrest last year, Guzman's alleged right-hand man, Damaso Lopez-Nunez, aka Licenciado, battled for control of the cartel, federal authorities said. The nickname "El Licenciado" is a title for college graduates.

But Lopez-Nunez's quest has taken a hit. He was arrested in Mexico City in May, and U.S. authorities are trying to extradite him. Lopez-Nunez's son, alleged cell leader Damaso Lopez-Serrano, aka Mini Lic, was taken into custody last month.

And on Thursday, Lopez-Nunez's brother, Alvaro Lopez-Nunez, 38, was arrested at the Nogales, Arizona Port of Entry. Alvaro Lopez-Nunez will be taken to San Diego, California to face drug trafficking charges along with the kingpin's son. (For more information on this and other neighborhood stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

A federal grand jury in San Diego last year indicted both Lopez-Serrano and Alvaro Lopez-Nunez — as well as four of their close associates — on federal drug trafficking charges. Three of the defendants remain fugitives.

Photo credit: Enric Marti/Associated Press