Mexico detains alleged fentanyl network financier in joint US-Mexico operation

Mexico's security minister announced the capture of Jose Angel Rivera, alias Don Flaco, in Mexico City during a joint operation with the FBI and the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Prosecutors allege Rivera coordinated financing for a group that transports fentanyl precursors from China into Mexico and onward to the United States. He had been sanctioned by the US State Department in January 2023 for his role in the illicit trade.

Officials said the arrest demonstrates the impact of international cooperation and aims to cut the money flow to criminal organizations. The development was noted as US President Donald Trump addressed the United Nations, labeling Mexico the epicenter of cartel violence and urging the country to regain territorial control. The operation underscores growing cross-border efforts to disrupt the fentanyl supply chain.