El Chapo’s Brother On The Run With $5 Million Bounty Over His Head As 5 Of His Bodyguards Arrested

“El Chapo’s” brother is on the run with a $5 million bounty placed on his head after the Mexican Army arrested five of his bodyguards who posed as marines. Aureliano "El Guano" Guzmán-Loera, is now a leading member of the Sinaloa cartel, which was formerly led by his brother Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, until his arrest in 2016. State Police and the army received a lead to potential cartel activity in La Guásima, Sinaloa, on Nov. 11. Soldiers and police followed up on the tip and spotted several armed men standing guard outside a house along a dirt road. Guns were drawn by both sides before the cartel members attempted to escape.

According to Rio Doce, Luis Ángel “N”, Jorge “N”, Ricardo “N”, Luis Fernando “N”, and another Jorge “N” - were arrested and charged with drug trafficking and sales, extortions, kidnappings, and homicides among several other indictments. All five of them were found in possession of rifles, handguns, and grenade launchers, along with tactical vests and counterfeit Mexican Marine patches. The five were identified as bodyguards for the former drug lord's brother, but it was unclear if “El Guano” himself was among the cartel members that had fled the scene or if he was hiding elsewhere. The army did not disclose further details or if they had searched the house where the men were captured.

The United States government has placed a $5 million bounty on El Guano’s head, as well as El Chapo’s sons Iván Archivaldo, Jesus Alfredo, Ovidio, and Joaquín. The four brothers formed a faction within the Sinaloa cartel called Los Chapitos, which emerged in the wake of their father’s arrest.

Sources said that only two local news outlets were able to report the arrest of Guano’s bodyguards. Some said the lack of media coverage was a demonstration of the cartel’s control over their region. The news broke out following the death of El Chapo’s nephew who was allegedly gunned downed by two assailants in September. Edel Guzmán Martínez, 36, was partying in a town in the Mexican State of Chihuahua when the two men attacked and shot him to death.