Mexican Authorities Arrest Alleged Northeast Cartel Cell Leader, Seize Weapons, Vehicles and Tigers in Nuevo León

Mexican authorities detained José Antonio Cortes Huerta, 39, the leader of a cell affiliated with the Northeast Cartel, in Nuevo León, officials announced Monday. Rosario Flores Alemán, 41, was also detained in the operation. Authorities seized 10 guns, 11 vehicles, six motorcycles, seven tigers, unidentified narcotics and cash.

The arrest stemmed from an investigation following the seizure of a boat in Tamaulipas, security minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said in a social media post. The seized items are linked to Roberto Blanco Cantu, who is known as "El Señor de los Buques" ("The Lord of the Ships"). Cantu is a majority shareholder of the company Mefra Fletes.

Cantu is accused of smuggling fuel via boats and is allegedly affiliated with the Northeast Cartel. The Northeast Cartel is a remnant of the infamous Zetas crime syndicate. It was designated as a foreign terrorist group by the Trump administration in 2025.

U.S. Treasury Department. The Northeast Cartel is involved in the trafficking of fentanyl, crystal meth, heroin and cocaine along the border.

It has waged a campaign of terror on the border. U.S. Treasury Department said.

Some Mexican drug cartels are known to house exotic cats as symbols of power and, occasionally, to dispose of their enemies. U.S. " The latest arrest comes as Mexico continues its crackdown on cartels amid pressure from the Trump administration.

Last month, the Mexican military captured one of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel's top leaders in the northwest of the country. That operation occurred two months after its leader "El Mencho" was killed. @CBSNews reported the details of the Nuevo León detentions and the linked seizures.