Law enforcement authorities in Mexico have recaptured drug lord Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman, six months after he escaped from a maximum-security jail.
In a post this afternoon on Twitter, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said: “Mission accomplished: We got him.”
Guzman was one of the world’s most-wanted drug lords, whose Sinaloa cartel smuggled cocaine, heroin and methamphetamines to the United States.
He escaped from jail through a 1.5km (mile) long tunnel dug in the showers.
His escape sparked a huge manhunt, with flights suspended at the nearby airports. The U.S. government had offered a US$5M (£3.2M) reward for information leading to his capture.
Guzman was apprehended following a shoot-out with Mexican marines in Los Mochis, a coastal city in his home state of Sinaloa, north-west Mexico, an official told the Associated Press.
Authorities located him several days ago based on reports that he was in the area, he added.
Mr Pena Nieto said on Twitter: “I want to inform Mexicans that Joaquin Guzman Loera has been arrested.”
Guzman’s July escape was his second – he was first arrested in Guatemala in 1993 and escaped from Puente Grande jail in 2001, reportedly in a laundry basket after bribing officials.
He was on the run for 13 years before being held again in 2014. His recapture was hailed as a victory for Mexico’s government.
CCTV footage of his 11 July escape showed Guzman pacing his cell several times before heading into the shower area and disappearing at the maximum-security Altiplano jail.
His wealth is estimated at US$1 billion.
