Servando 'La Tuta' Gomez, One of the Most Important Leaders of Mexican Drug Cartels, Arrested

Servando 'La Tuta' Gomez, one of the largest leaders of the Mexican drug mafia and head of the 'Knights Templar' cartel, was arrested on Friday, March 8, by the federal police of Mexico. According to the Associated Press, citing a Mexican official, Servando Gomez was captured in the city of Morelia in the state of Michoacán in western Mexico without any armed confrontation or even a shot fired. The 49-year-old leader of the 'Knights Templar' cartel had been on the run for over a year after the federal government took control of the state. The 'Knights Templar' (Knights of the Holy Land) is a quasi-religious criminal group that previously had complete dominance over the state of Michoacán, controlling its trade and politics. The Mexican government had set a reward of two million dollars for the capture of Servando Gomez, who was also wanted in the United States for drug trafficking and distribution. The arrest of the leader of one of the largest drug cartels is considered a significant victory for Enrique Peña Nieto, the President of Mexico, who has been under intense political pressure since the disappearance of 43 students last fall, which is believed to be linked to criminal gangs. Servando Gomez is the latest in a series of arrests of drug cartel leaders during Peña Nieto's presidency. Last year, one of the biggest capos (drug gang leaders), Joaquín Guzmán, known as 'El Chapo', was also captured by the police. Eric Olson, a security and organized crime analyst at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, stated, 'His arrest is very important, and Gomez is a well-known figure. While these arrests are significant, we must consider that they may escalate violence and crime. In the case of Michoacán, it is hard to imagine a worse situation.' Servando Gomez, known for his prominent cheekbones and large nose, was famous for being an influential and sociable figure, transitioning from a school teacher to one of the most ruthless leaders of drug cartels. He had previously controlled the distribution and sale of methamphetamine and dominated his home state through threats, intimidation, and extortion of politicians and businessmen. During his time on the run, he frequently appeared in videos and meetings with officials, journalists, and prominent figures, wearing a baseball cap and his famous goatee. Although his gang started with drugs, he later expanded his operations to control the Lazaro Cardenas port, one of Mexico's largest commercial ports, amassing millions of dollars from illegal mining. Federal government efforts to arrest and end Servando Gomez's dominance repeatedly failed, and military and police deployments to retake the state of Michoacán were fruitless. In 2013, a group of locals formed armed defense groups composed of farmers and some former cartel members, liberating towns one after another from his gang's control. Under pressure from these groups, the federal government was forced to intervene and initiate more serious operations to arrest Gomez and other cartel leaders. Servando Gomez, born in February 1966, began his career as a teacher in Michoacán, which is why one of his nicknames is 'El Profe,' short for professor, meaning teacher in Spanish. In his hometown, some people praised him as a humble person who gave money, food, medical aid, and clothing to the poor and resolved disputes among the locals.