Mexico's Federal Preventative Police announced Feb 5 the arrest of Gerónimo Gámez García, said to be the key middle-man between the Beltran Leyva criminal organization (a faction of warring Sinaloa Cartel) and Colombian cocaine suppliers. Gámez was reportedly apprehended with a million dollars in cash in the Ciudad Satélite suburb of the national capital. Eight men arrested with him reportedly included one Colombian. Federal authorities hailed it as a major blow against the cartels. (BBC News, La Jornada, Feb. 5)

Meanwhile, beauty queen Laura Zuñiga Huizar, arrested in December near Guadalajara with accused Gulf Cartel leaders and since a Mexican media sensation, was released without charge. (Guadalajara Reporter, Feb. 7)

See our last post Mexico's narco wars.