The Legendary

Reynosa – Los Federales captured the head of the Gulf Cartel's operations at New Guerrero in Miguel Aleman, the nearly deserted border town across the river from Roma, Texas.

Federal Judicial Police took Gilberto Barragan Balderas, 41, and two associates into custody at a birthday party in his honor held at a rural ranch. They have charged none of them with a crime.

Mr. Balderas is wanted on a 2008 U.S. Indictment for drug trafficking and was reportedly the subject of a $5 million reward offered by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. The Gulf Cartel is the bitter rival of the Zetas, a rival faction of sicarios headed by deserters from the Mexican Army's Special Forces who once worked as enforcers for the cartel. Mr. Balderas is believed to have been in command of forces opposing the Zetas for drug smuggling and money laundering routes through that area of Tamaulipas from the border towns of Reynosa to Zapata.

The Federales said they confiscated two pistols and an assault rifle in the raid.