ALMOLOYA DE JUÁREZ, Mexico. — Alfonso "N," also known as "El Poncho" or "Quiringua", the alleged leader of the Los Reyes Cartel, was transferred Tuesday morning, Aug. 4, to Federal Center for Social Reintegration No. 1, better known as El Altiplano, Mexico's maximum-security federal prison.
The transfer was carried out under a heavy ground security operation led by members of the Mexican Army, the National Guard, and the Criminal Investigation Agency (AIC), who maintained custody of the suspect until he was admitted to the facility at 9:12 a.m.
The transfer took place three days after his arrest on Aug. 1 in the community of Imbarácuaro, in the municipality of Los Reyes de Salgado, Michoacán, where authorities reported multiple highway blockades.
Te podría interesar
Authorities said the arrest resulted from a targeted operation based on intelligence gathered by the Mexican Army's 12th Military Region, with coordinated participation from federal and state security forces. At the time of his arrest, Alfonso "N" was accompanied by two other individuals, and authorities seized drugs, firearms, and ammunition.
ALSO READ: Morelos: The “Corridor of Death” and the Fentanyl Gateway to Mexico City
Following the arrest, suspected members of his criminal organization set up six highway blockades across the state in an apparent attempt to prevent the detainees from being transported. The roads were later cleared by civilian and military authorities.
The suspects and the seized evidence were airlifted from the area aboard a Mexican Air Force helicopter and transferred to Mexico City's Attorney General's Office (FGR), where prosecutors began legal proceedings before the suspects were sent to the federal prison.
Who Is "El Poncho" or "Quiringua"?
Alfonso "N," known as "El Poncho" or "Quiringua", the alleged leader of the Los Reyes Cartel, had been considered one of the top targets for law enforcement agencies in both Mexico and the United States.
U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) had an active investigation into him for drug trafficking-related crimes and was offering a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture.
According to Mexican authorities, the suspect headed the Los Reyes Cartel, a criminal group that is part of the United Cartels (Cárteles Unidos) coalition and operates in the Michoacán municipalities of Cotija de la Paz, Tocumbo, Los Reyes de Salgado, Buenavista Tomatlán, and Peribán de Ramos. The organization has been linked to drug trafficking, extortion, vehicle theft, and kidnapping.
Authorities also identify "El Poncho" as a close associate of Juan José "N," alias "El Abuelo," the leader of the Tepalcatepec Cartel, and allege that he coordinated drone attacks against Mexican Army personnel. Those attacks were reported on Jan. 19, 2025, in Cotija, and later on June 15 and July 1 of this year in Tingüindín and Jacona, respectively.
U.S. Reaction
U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson welcomed Alfonso "N"'s arrest, saying it sends a clear message that "criminals have nowhere to hide." The diplomat praised the Mexican Army and Mexico's Security Cabinet, adding that under the administrations of U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the two governments' joint commitment to dismantling drug cartels "continues to produce results."
It is worth noting that Cárteles Unidos was formally designated by Washington as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in February 2025, citing its role as an alliance of criminal groups based in Michoacán involved in transnational drug trafficking into the United States.
djh