The Mexican federal military has arrested a major drug cartel leader who had been hunted by the U.S. government with a hefty bounty.

According to daily newspapers such as La Jornada and El Universal on the 2nd (local time), the Mexican federal military announced that they captured Alfonso Fernandez Magallon, also known as "Poncho La Quiringua" and head of the "Cartel de los Reyes," the previous day in the state of Michoacan.

Fernandez Magallon has led drone attacks against military forces and is a key figure who built the criminal alliance "Cartel Unidos" in solidarity with the Tepalcatepec Cartel and others.

The U.S. government had also placed him on a wanted list with a $5 million (approx. 7.2 billion won) reward for charges including drug trafficking and kidnapping.

U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson welcomed the arrest, stating, "There is no hiding place for criminals."

The operation was conducted with the deployment of two armed helicopters.

Upon news of the arrest, cartel members put up fierce resistance by setting vehicles on fire and blocking five major roads to obstruct the transport of the captured boss. However, military authorities immediately moved to suppress them, regaining control of the roads in about five hours.

(Photo: Getty Images Korea)