Mexican Security Council To Move To Sinaloa After Gut Battle Over El Chapo's Son- Minister

Mexico's security council will convene in the city of Culiacan, located in the western state of Sinaloa, to control a security operation against a criminal group that attacked law enforcement officers and provoked unrest, the country's Security and Public Protection Secretary, Alfonso Durazo, said amid reports that a son of a notorious drug lord was detained there

MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th October, 2019) Mexico's security council will convene in the city of Culiacan, located in the western state of Sinaloa, to control a security operation against a criminal group that attacked law enforcement officers and provoked unrest, the country's Security and Public Protection Secretary, Alfonso Durazo, said amid reports that a son of a notorious drug lord was detained there.

On Thursday, media reported that Ovidio Guzman Lopez, one of the sons of drug lord Joaquin Guzman, also known as El Chapo, was captured in Culiacan following a shoot-out between law enforcement officers and members of the Sinaloa Cartel, which was previously led by El Chapo. His son is believed to currently have one of the key roles in the group. However, media subsequently reported, citing Durazo, that the officers had to let the man go.

"We decided to move to Culiacan to control the situation in person," Durazo wrote on Twitter late on Thursday.

On Thursday, the authorities canceled classes in kindergartens, schools and universities amid gun battles in Culiacan, which left nine people injured.

The city residents and Mexican lawmakers asked for explanations from the authorities.

Durazo said that a group of officers had been attacked on Thursday while on a patrol mission in one of the city's districts. The officers repelled the attack, got control over the building and found four people, including Ovidio Guzman Lopez, there.

Several gangs subsequently came and surrounded the house, while other "carried out acts of aggression" across the city, provoking panic among the public.

Media reported late on Thursday, citing Durazo, that the officers let Ovidio Guzman Lopez go in order to protect lives.

El Chapo's son is reportedly wanted in the United States on various drug-related charges.

Guzman himself faced several court trials but repeatedly managed to escape justice. However, he was captured in 2016 and extradited to the United States in 2017. In July, a US Federal judge sentenced him to life in prison plus 30 years on various charges related to his leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel.