Héctor Beltrán Leyva
Encyclopedia
Héctor Beltrán Leyva is a Mexican
drug lord
and leader of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel.
Héctor Beltrán Leyva is the brother of Arturo Beltrán Leyva (deceased), former leader of the cartel. Héctor was the second-in-command and rose to the leadership of the criminal organization after his brother's death on December 16, 2009 during a confrontation with Mexican marines
.
, the four Beltrán Leyva brothers broke ties with the organization in 2008 after Alfredo Beltrán Leyva was arrested by Mexican military special forces, and the Beltrán Leyva brothers blamed their boss Joaquín Guzmán
(a.k.a: El Chapo) of treason, and ordered the murder of 22 year-old Edgar Guzmán López, a son of Joaquín Guzmán, which was carried out in a shopping center parking lot by at least 15 gunmen using assault rifles and grenade launchers
.
The remaining four Beltrán Leyva brothers established the Beltrán Leyva Cartel and forged a collaboration pact with their former rivals: the Gulf Cartel
and Los Zetas
. Today, the Beltrán Leyva Cartel is responsible for the procurement of fire arms and ammunitions from the United States in furtherance of their criminal enterprise and is responsible for the trafficking of multi-ton amounts of illicit drugs
, including cocaine
, marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamine
. Héctor Beltrán Leyva is also credited with rising rates of violence within Mexico, as his organization is reportedly responsible for kidnapping
, torture
, murder
, and various other acts of violence against numerous men, women, and children in Mexico. The cartel is considered one of the most ruthless and brutal in the way they dispose of their enemies. The organization is connected with the assassinations of numerous Mexican law enforcement officials, including Édgar Eusebio Millán Gómez
, the former acting commissioner of the Mexican Federal Preventive Police
.
Héctor facilitates the planning, oversight and overall control of the drug trafficking and money collection activities in Mexico City
, Mexico, and oversees the control of their drug trafficking corridors. It is believed that Héctor Beltrán Leyva is involved in the procurement and trafficking of multi-ton quantities of cocaine
, heroin, methamphetamine
and marijuana into the United States
. Héctor Beltrán Leyva is charged in a 2004 indictment in the District of Columbia, USA and is also indicted out of the Eastern District of New York
.
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
drug lord
Drug lord
A drug lord, drug baron or kingpin is the term used to describe a person who controls a sizable network of persons involved in the illegal drugs trade. Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they might never be directly in possession of something illegal, but are insulated from...
and leader of the Beltrán Leyva Cartel.
Héctor Beltrán Leyva is the brother of Arturo Beltrán Leyva (deceased), former leader of the cartel. Héctor was the second-in-command and rose to the leadership of the criminal organization after his brother's death on December 16, 2009 during a confrontation with Mexican marines
Mexican Naval Infantry
The Naval Infantry are the marine corps and amphibious infantry force of the Mexican Navy. The main task of the Infantería de Marina is to guarantee the maritime security of the country's ports and external and internal defense of the country, to accomplish these responsibilities the corps is...
.
Biography
Although originally a part of the Sinaloa CartelSinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel is the most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the United States Intelligence Community as "the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world." The Sinaloa Cartel is based in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, but also operates in the Mexican states of Baja...
, the four Beltrán Leyva brothers broke ties with the organization in 2008 after Alfredo Beltrán Leyva was arrested by Mexican military special forces, and the Beltrán Leyva brothers blamed their boss Joaquín Guzmán
Joaquín Guzmán
Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera nicknamed "El Chapo" for his stature, is a Mexican drug lord who heads Mexico's and the world's largest and most powerful drug trafficking organization referred to as the Sinaloa Cartel, named after the Mexican Pacific coast state of Sinaloa where it was initially...
(a.k.a: El Chapo) of treason, and ordered the murder of 22 year-old Edgar Guzmán López, a son of Joaquín Guzmán, which was carried out in a shopping center parking lot by at least 15 gunmen using assault rifles and grenade launchers
M203 grenade launcher
The M203 is a single shot 40 mm grenade launcher designed to attach to a rifle. It uses the same rounds as the older M79 break-action grenade launcher, which utilize the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low. Though versatile, and compatible with many rifle models, the M203 was...
.
The remaining four Beltrán Leyva brothers established the Beltrán Leyva Cartel and forged a collaboration pact with their former rivals: the Gulf Cartel
Gulf Cartel
The Gulf Cartel is one of the most powerful drug cartels in Mexico, and perhaps the oldest organized crime group in the country...
and Los Zetas
Los Zetas
Los Zetas is the second most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as the most violent drug cartel and paramilitary enforcement group in Mexico...
. Today, the Beltrán Leyva Cartel is responsible for the procurement of fire arms and ammunitions from the United States in furtherance of their criminal enterprise and is responsible for the trafficking of multi-ton amounts of illicit drugs
Illegal drug trade
The illegal drug trade is a global black market, dedicated to cultivation, manufacture, distribution and sale of those substances which are subject to drug prohibition laws. Most jurisdictions prohibit trade, except under license, of many types of drugs by drug prohibition laws.A UN report said the...
, including cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, marijuana, heroin, and methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
. Héctor Beltrán Leyva is also credited with rising rates of violence within Mexico, as his organization is reportedly responsible for kidnapping
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
, torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
, murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
, and various other acts of violence against numerous men, women, and children in Mexico. The cartel is considered one of the most ruthless and brutal in the way they dispose of their enemies. The organization is connected with the assassinations of numerous Mexican law enforcement officials, including Édgar Eusebio Millán Gómez
Édgar Eusebio Millán Gómez
Édgar Eusebio Millán Gómez was a third-ranking member of Mexico's Secretariat of Public Security and acting commissioner of the Federal Preventive Police. Born in Mexico City, he received a law degree from the Universidad del Valle de México. After graduating he started his career in the Mexican...
, the former acting commissioner of the Mexican Federal Preventive Police
Federal Preventive Police
The Federal Police , formerly known as the Policía Federal Preventiva , are the uniformed federal police force of Mexico...
.
Héctor facilitates the planning, oversight and overall control of the drug trafficking and money collection activities in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico, and oversees the control of their drug trafficking corridors. It is believed that Héctor Beltrán Leyva is involved in the procurement and trafficking of multi-ton quantities of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, heroin, methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
and marijuana into the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Héctor Beltrán Leyva is charged in a 2004 indictment in the District of Columbia, USA and is also indicted out of the Eastern District of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
Bounty
The U.S. Department of State is currently offering a reward of USD $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Héctor Beltrán Leyva, while the Mexican government is offering a USD $2.1 million reward.See also
- Mexican drug warMexican Drug WarThe Mexican Drug War is an ongoing armed conflict taking place among rival drug cartels who fight each other for regional control, and Mexican government forces who seek to combat drug trafficking. However, the government's principal goal has been to put down the drug-related violence that was...
- Mérida InitiativeMérida InitiativeThe Mérida Initiative is a security cooperation agreement between the United States and the government of Mexico and the countries of Central America, with the declared aim of combating the threats of drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and money laundering...
- List of Mexico's 37 most-wanted drug lords