Chapo Guzman’s possible successor turns himself in to US authorities

The godson and possible successor to Joaquin “El Chapo” (Shorty) Guzman as head of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel has turned himself in to authorities in the United States, a Mexican government official told EFE Friday.

The source said Damaso Lopez Serrano, alias “Mini Lic,” was taken into custody on Wednesday morning.

Mexican Attorney General’s Office agents had closed in on Lopez Serrano in Mexicali, a city located across from Calexico, California, prompting the suspect to cross over to the US side of the border.

He then turned himself in to that California city’s Customs and Border Protection office, which proceeded to hand him over to Drug Enforcement Administration agents.

“Mini Lic” is the son of Damaso Lopez Nuñez, alias “El Licenciado,” who was captured on May 2 at a luxury apartment building in Mexico City.

Lopez Nuñez had been considered Guzman’s right-hand man, but after the latter’s arrest in January 2016 in Los Mochis, Sinaloa state, he became locked in a dispute for control of the cartel with the detained drug lord’s sons, Jesus Alfredo and Ivan Archivaldo Guzman.

Guzman was extradited to the US earlier this year and is awaiting trial on a range of drug trafficking-related charges, including criminal conspiracy, racketeering and money laundering.

Lopez Serrano is believed to have controlled his father’s faction of the Sinaloa cartel until his arrest on Wednesday.