Security forces in Mexico have arrested a pilot they suspect of working for Los Chapitos, the Mexican cartel run by sons of the jailed drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. The pilot, known by the alias of “El Jando”, was detained in the northern city of Culiacán, the stronghold of Los Chapitos, in an operation in which one soldier was shot dead. Mexican intelligence sources allege he is a key figure in Los Chapitos and that he played a role in the sting operation which led to the arrest of another cartel kingpin “El Mayo Zambada” in the US. The pilot’s lawyers have asked the courts for more time to prepare his defence. While “El Jando” was detained in the early hours of Saturday, detailed information about the charges levelled against him have only become public in recent days. Mexican security minister told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday that he could confirm “El Jando” was the trusted pilot of the leader of “Los Chapitos”. Prosecutors allege that as well as being an accomplished pilot, he was also involved in drug and arms trafficking and in several explosive attacks on the security forces. Most importantly though, Mexican intelligence services are now hoping to gain information from “El Jando” about the mysterious flight which delivered wanted drug kingpin “El Mayo” into the hands of US federal agents.
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