Óscar Omar Treviño Morales[1] (born January 26, 1974) is a Mexican convicted drug lord and former leader of Los Zetas, a criminal organization. He was one of Mexico's most-wanted drug lords. His brother is Miguel Treviño Morales, a former leader of the group.[2][3] The authorities believe he was the successor of his brother, who was arrested on July 15, 2013.[4]

Omar Treviño Morales
Born (1974-01-26) January 26, 1974 (age 50)
Other namesL-42
Z-42
Omar
Óscar Treviño Morales
Comandante Forty Two
Alejandro Treviño Morales
OccupationLeader of Los Zetas
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
PredecessorMiguel Treviño Morales
RelativesJosé Treviño Morales (brother)
Notes
$5 million USD reward in U.S.
Arrested on March 4, 2015

Criminal charges

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Morales is allegedly responsible for several abductions and murders committed in Nuevo Laredo between 2005 and 2006 and the supply source for multi-kilogram loads of cocaine smuggled from Mexico to the United States. He was charged in a 2008 federal indictment in the U.S. District of Columbia, and the U.S. Department of State offered a reward of up to $5 million USD for information leading to his arrest and/or conviction.[5][6] On 24 March 2010, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned him under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (sometimes referred to simply as the "Kingpin Act"), for his involvement in drug trafficking along with fifty-three other international criminals and ten foreign entities.[7] The act prohibited U.S. citizens and companies from doing any kind of business activity with him, and virtually froze all his assets in the U.S.[8]

Arrest

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At around 4:00 a.m. on March 4, 2015, Treviño Morales was captured inside a residence in Fuentes del Valle, an upper-class neighborhood in San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, by the Federal Police and the Mexican Army.[9] Not a single shot was fired in the operation.[10][11] In a nearby neighborhood, authorities arrested his financial operator Carlos Arturo Jiménez Encinas, along with four other people.[12] Four days later he was transferred to the Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1, a maximum-security prison in Almoloya de Juárez, State of Mexico.[13] He was formally charged in a federal court in Toluca, State of Mexico on March 13 for money laundering and for violating Mexico's Federal Law of Firearms and Explosives.[14]

Aftermath

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On 23 March 2015, Ramiro Pérez Moreno (alias "El Rana" or "The Frog"), a potential successor of "Z-42", was captured along with 4 other men. He was arrested in possession of 6 kilos of cocaine and marijuana, rifles and one hand grenade.[15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Castillo García, Gustavo (21 June 2012). "Identifica la PGR al tercero en importancia de Los Zetas". La Jornada (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
  2. ^ "México ofrece millonarias recompensas por 37 líderes del narco". Univision (in Spanish). 23 March 2009. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 27 September 2012.
  3. ^ "Narcotics Rewards Program: Alejandro Trevino-Morales". United States Department of State. Archived from the original on 14 February 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  4. ^ "Omar Treviño, el Z 42, se perfila como cabecilla Zeta". Univision (in Spanish). 16 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  5. ^ "DEA Fugitive: TREVINO-MORALES, ALEJANDRO". Drug Enforcement Administration. Archived from the original on 1 March 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  6. ^ "Acuerdo específico por el que se ofrece recompensa a quien o quienes proporcionen información relevante y útil, que auxilie eficientemente para la localización y detención de las personas que en el mismo se indican" (PDF) (in Spanish). Office of the General Prosecutor. 23 March 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2013. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  7. ^ "DESIGNATIONS PURSUANT TO THE FOREIGN NARCOTICS KINGPIN DESIGNATION ACT" (PDF). United States Department of the Treasury. 15 May 2014. p. 11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 May 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  8. ^ "An overview of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act" (PDF). United States Department of the Treasury. 2009. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  9. ^ Mosso, Rubén (4 March 2015). "Cae en Nuevo León líder de 'Los Zetas'" (in Spanish). Milenio. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  10. ^ "Detienen al máximo líder de 'Los Zetas'" (in Spanish). Proceso. 4 March 2015. Archived from the original on 5 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  11. ^ "Officials: Leader of Mexico's Zetas drug cartel captured". Fox News. 4 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  12. ^ ""El Z-42", principal generador de violencia en Tamaulipas, Coahuila y NL" (in Spanish). Milenio. 5 March 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
  13. ^ "Omar Treviño Morales, El Z-42, es ya un interno más del penal del Altiplano" (in Spanish). Univision. 8 March 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  14. ^ "Dictan auto de formal prisión a Omar Treviño, 'El Z-42'" (in Spanish). Televisa. 13 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  15. ^ "Declara "El Rama", sucesor de Treviño Morales - Nota - Seguridad - www.aztecanoticias.com.mx". www.aztecanoticias.com.mx. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved 17 January 2022.