Mexican Army Arrests Top Sinaloa Cartel Leader 'El Max' in Operation That Also Kills 19 Members of 'El Mayo's Faction

SEATTLE - Violence continues to rage on in northern Mexico with turf wars between factions of the Sinaloa cartel in the eponymous state and neighboring territories leading recently-inaugurated Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to create a taskforce that has focused on sending additional army and National Guard personnel to the area.

As Mexico's armed forces continue address the situation, authorities announced the arrest of a high-profile leader of the Sinaloa cartel who was later identified as Edwin Antonio Rubio López, a.k.a. "El Max," in the rural community of Plan de Oriente, less than 10 miles east of Culiacán.

In an operation led by the Mexican Secretariat of National Defense (SEDENA), members of the army and navy clashed with suspected cartel members. The confrontation began when more than 30 members of "El Max's" bodyguard team opened fire on the military personnel.

As the soldiers repelled the attack, the battle between SEDENA forces and cartel members left 19 of the attackers dead. El País described the incident as the bloodiest armed confrontation that has taken place in the weeks since "Los Chapitos" and "La Mayiza" started their own conflict for control of the Sinaloa cartel.

Authorities also seized weapons, tactical equipment and seven vehicles during the operation.

All of the deceased were members of "La Mayiza," the Sinaloa cartel faction that remains loyal to recently captured drug lord Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada.

Key arrests of high-profile cartel leaders

"El Max" is not the only high-profile member of the Sinaloa cartel that has been arrested in recent weeks.

On Oct. 22, SEDENA announced that coordinated aerial and ground attacks near the community of La Guamuchilera, Sinaloa, had led to the arrest of five individuals, including Luis Alberto 'N,' also known as "El Cañas," who allegedly led a sector of the Cártel del Pacífico.

In addition to his role with the criminal group, "El Cañas" is believed to be the right-hand man of Humberto Figueroa, alias "El 27," the security chief for "Los Chapitos."

Members of the military secured the arrest of another key member of the criminal organization in late September. Mario Alexander Gámez., a.k.a "El Piyi" was captured in Culiacán during an operation carried out by the army and the National Guard. "El Piyi" is allegedly a close collaborator of Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, one of the sons of "El Chapo" and one of the current leaders of "Los Chapitos."

During that operation, five other alleged Sinaloa cartel gunmen who were traveling with Gámez in a convoy of vehicles were also arrested, according to reports.