Mexican authorities capture Los Reyes cartel leader Alfonso Fernández Magallón

Alfonso Fernández Magallón, known as “Poncho la Quiringua,” was arrested on 1 August by the Mexican Army with support from the National Guard and other security forces in the municipality of Los Reyes, Michoacán. He was transferred under heavy security to the maximum‑security federal prison El Altiplano in the State of Mexico. The United States had offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to his capture, citing his role in drug trafficking and weapons offenses.

Following the arrest, members of the Los Reyes cartel staged road blockades and burned vehicles in Michoacán’s Los Reyes and Peribán municipalities. Federal forces, together with the National Guard, cleared the blockades and restored control. Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch confirmed the operation and described Fernández Magallón as a priority target.