Suspected Mastermind Of "El Chapo" Prison Escape Captured, Mexico Says

Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman's brother-in-law is among the latest arrested as Mexican authorities continue their search for the country's most wanted fugitive.

Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera continues to evade Mexico's police and military, but the country's attorney general announced Wednesday some of those responsible for organizing his elaborate prison escape have been taken into custody.

Among the people arrested Wednesday were those who helped build and pay for the construction of the intricate tunnel out of the prison, a pilot, and the drug lord's brother-in-law — the suspected mastermind of the escape.

Attorney General Arely Gomez Gonzalez also provided some new details of Guzman's daring escape from a Mexican prison, but didn't disclose the names of those who were captured during the press conference.

Mensaje a medios de la Procuradora @ArelyGomezGlz en salón Independencia de @PGR_Mx. https://t.co/rBshwYmAKe

The arrests were announced less than a week after the Mexican government said authorities had come close to nabbing the head of the Sinaloa drug cartel in Cosala, but were forced to retreat after facing a fierce gunfight.

Government officials said Guzman narrowly escaped, and might have suffered an injury to his leg and face in the process.

El Chapo escaped from a maximum security prison in Altiplano, outside Mexico City, through a sophisticated tunnel equipped with ventilation and a motorized cart.

It was the second daring escape for the head of the notorious Sinaloa cartel, who also broke out of prison in Jalisco in 2001.

His capture in Feb. 2014 seemed to be a major victory for the Mexican government as it continued to fight cartel violence, but it instead became a major black eye to the administration of President Enrique Peña Nieto when El Chapo managed to tunnel his way out, outwitting his capture for a second time.

After escaping from the Altiplano prison in July, Gonzalez said Guzman was taken to San Juan Del Rio, Queretaro, about 80 miles north of the prison.

Once there, two Cessna planes took off with one carrying the infamous drug lord.

Since his escape, Gonzalez said investigators from multiple agencies have gathered more than 270 statements, 64 searches and taken 34 people into custody, including seven government officials suspected of helping Guzman carry out his plan.

"Guzman might have escaped from the prison, but not he nor those who helped him will escape justice," Gonzalez said.

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com


Skip to footer