Brazliian authorities arrested a
long-sought suspected Mexican drug lord as he attempted to board a
domestic flight from Rio de Janiero to Fortaleza, Brazil, where Mexico
faced Brazil on Tuesday.
Jose Diaz-Barajas, 49, bought a
ticket to the match under his real name. He was arrested at Tom Jobim
airport and will remain in custody in Rio until he is extradited to the
U.S. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) assisted in the
arrest, as Diaz-Barajas is suspected of exporting methamphetamine to the
U.S.
“Barajas was one of the most
sought traffickers in the United States,” Luiz Cravo Dorea told
reporters in Brasilia. Dorea is the head of international cooperation
for the Federal Police.
The police reported that Diaz-Barajas had entered Brazil from Paraguy on
June 11. "He was low-profile and used real documents to enter the
country because he thought that nobody was looking for him," he said.
"But we knew he had bought tickets to watch the game."
The police were first tipped off
by FIFA. He was traveling with his wife and two sons, who are 17 and 29.
They did not make the arrest sooner, Dorea noted, because they were
waiting to see if he had planned any illegal activity in Brazil.
"After some days it was clear
that he was here to watch the World Cup with his family," he told
reporters. "We could have arrested him at the stadium, but it was
cheaper to do it in Rio."
A former head of international operations for the DEA told Bloomerberg News
U.S. and international security agencies are on alert for drug
traffickers at many international sporting events, especially the World
Cup and boxing events.
“A lot of them are big sports fanatics,” Mike Vigil said. “It’s a great time to apprehend these individuals.”
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