Story Created:
Aug 30, 2010
Story Updated:
Aug 31, 2010
Mexican authorities said drug kingpin Edgar Valdez-Villarreal also known as "La Barbie" has been captured. "La Barbie" was on the most wanted list here in Laredo and Mexico.
Reports indicate “La Barbie", a Laredo native, was reportedly detained Monday after a shootout. The exact location of his arrest is unclear, but some news sources said he was captured in the state of Mexico.
He's a former United High School football player and tonight he sits behind bars.
As Pro 8 News reported, 37-year-old Valdez-Villarreal was recently indicted in the U.S. for conspiring to import and distribute thousands of kilograms of cocaine worth millions of dollars from Mexico into the U.S. between 2004 and 2006. Federal authorities said he's a high-ranking member of the Arturo Beltran-Leyva cartel. Some even added that he was on the verge of becoming the first American to sit on top of a Mexican drug cartel.
Evidence in a 2008 Atlanta trial showed he played a key role in moving the kilos of cocaine through Laredo as they transported the drugs to the east coast. Authorities said "La Barbie" is also allegedly responsible for murder and money laundering.
U.S. authorities had offered a $2 million reward for information leading to his capture.
