One of the top leaders of a notorious Mexican drug cartel, which kidnapped four Americans and killed two of them last year, has been captured by marines.

Jose Alberto Garcia Vilano, known by the nicknames La Kena and Cyclone 19, was seized at a shopping centre in an upmarket area on the outskirts of Monterrey.

He headed the Cyclones – one of the most powerful and violent factions of the now-divided Gulf cartel.

While not naming him, Mexico’s navy department said in a statement marines had detained a suspect it called “one of the key leaders of one of the most powerful criminal organisations in Tamaulipas”, adding he was “one of the main targets of the Drug Enforcement Administration”.

State prosecutors had previously offered a $150,000 (£118,000) reward for his arrest.

The kidnapping and killing of the Americans was linked to another faction of the cartel, known as the Scorpions.

The four US citizens had crossed into the border city of Matamoros from Texas last March so that one of them could have cosmetic surgery.

They were fired on in downtown Matamoros and then loaded into a pickup truck.

Americans Zindell Brown and Shaeed Woodard died in the attack while Eric Williams and Latavia McGee survived.

Read more:
Bride arrested and handcuffed on her wedding day
Five burned bodies found by police investigating potential cartel massacre

A Mexican woman, Areli Pablo Servando, 33, was also killed, apparently by a stray bullet.

The Gulf cartel turned over five gang members it said were responsible to police soon after the abduction.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

A letter claiming to be from the Scorpions also condemned the violence.

It said: “We have decided to turn over those who were directly involved and responsible in the events, who at all times acted under their own decision-making and lack of discipline.”

Related posts:

‘I’m so sad, I can’t feel it anymore’: Family mourns seven-year-old girl shot in Myanmar Haitians at Texas border urged to give up amid ‘inhumane’ deportations by US ‘Opportunity to finally secure peace’: Boris Johnson welcomes two-month truce in Yemen civil war Four people dead and various injured after explosion at hotel in Cuba, reports say One killed and dozens injured as high winds cause Spanish festival stage collapse Gunman opens fire at bus stop in Jerusalem, wounding eight Truss to tell United Nations Britain will no longer be dependent on those who ‘seek to weaponise the global economy’ ‘Police assistant’ dead and four officers injured as Mahsa Amini protests continue in Iran The nuclear threat: What will holding referenda mean for Ukraine and the world? Canadian parliament’s standing ovation for former Nazi soldier was ‘deeply embarrassing’, Trudeau says Founder of popular photoblog slams Indian version in copyright row Rwandan doctor sentenced to jail in France for his part in 1994 Tutsi genocide