Mexico captures reputed drug lord

September 1, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

Associated Press

MEXICO CITY

A former Texas high school football player and petty street dealer who allegedly rose to become one of Mexico’s most savage assassins became the third major drug lord brought down by Mexico in less than a year and could provide intelligence on even bigger kingpins.

Edgar Valdez Villarreal, known as “the Barbie” for his fair complexion and green eyes, grinned broadly Tuesday as police described a life of luxury and violence that made a battleground of central Mexico, where he waged a war for control against his slain boss’s brother.

The 37-year-old Valdez faces charges in three U.S. states for trucking in tons of cocaine. As a U.S. citizen living illegally in Mexico, Valdez could be deported to the United States if Mexico agrees, or he could face prosecution in Mexico for drug-related crimes. Mexican authorities say he could be responsible for dozens of murders.

The arrest was portrayed by Mexico’s government as a victory for President Felipe Calderon as he tries to recover public support for his war on organized crime in the face of escalating violence.

U.S. and Mexican officials described Valdez’s arrest Monday as the culmination of a yearlong pursuit and stronger intelligence sharing between the two countries.

Mexican police said they chased Valdez across five Mexican states for a year, a pursuit that intensified in recent months as they raided home after home owned by the drug lord, missing him but nabbing several of his allies. Among those taken into custody was his girlfriend and her mother, Valdez’s U.S. lawyer said.

“This has been going on for quite a while,” attorney Kent Schaffer told The Associated Press. “So you figure it’s just a matter of time.”

Born in the border city of Laredo, Texas, Valdez grew up in a middle-class subdivision popular with Border Patrol agents, police officers and firefighters. His father was a nightclub and bar owner.