Mexico cuffs top drug lord

Drug lord Mario Ramirez Trevino, the head of the cocaine and marijuana-smuggling Gulf Cartel was arrested by Mexican troops.

Known to law enforcement agencies as X-20, Ramirez is believed to having led the Gulf Cartel since last September, following the arrest of Jorge Eduardo Costilla, known as The Coss.

The drug lord was wanted by the US authorities since 2006, with the American government offering a reward of $5m for information leading to his capture. The Mexican authorities were offering a further $3m

Media reports say the arrest happened in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas through a joint operation between the army and marines. This is the second high-profile arrest since President Enrique Pena Nieto came to power last December.

Miguel Angel Trevino Morales, leader of the infamous Zetas cartel was arrested last month. Ramirez was considered to be equally violent and was feared to exert enough power to unify the Gulf and Zeta cartels. The two cartels were previously united but the leaderships split in 2010.