Mexico captures top drug lord, takes social media savvy narco offline

Mexico scored another major victory in the drug war today by capturing one of the country’s top narcos, Servando Gomez Martinez, better known as “La Tuta,” or “The Teacher.”

La Tuta was head of the Knights Templar, one of the most brutal cartels operating in the southern state of Michoacan. Mexican authorities said his capture occurred around 4 a.m. in the city of Morelia, and no shots were fired.

The Mexican government is expected to offer a press conference in the coming hours, as the kingpin gets transported to Mexico City.

The captured drug lord could arrive at Mexico’s Assistant Attorney General’s Office for Special Investigations on Organized Crime (SIEDO). A security team was deployed this morning in the area surrounding the building.

Fusion spotted a police convoy entering SIEDO’s premises.

La Tuta took over leadership of the Templars after authorities killed El Chayo, a gruesome narco boss who resorted to cult-like rituals including cannibalism. The new kingpin brought the Templars into the digital age; he was known for releasing videotapes of meetings between drug lords and local politicians.

La Tuta caused scandals by releasing videos showing him having beers with the son of the former governor of Michoacan and offering money to local reporters in exchange for good press and advice.

The kingpin became very savvy on social media, posting messages on Facebook and YouTube to attract supporters while denouncing the government and rival drug gangs.

He eluded capture on several occasions, prompting the federal government to deploy a special drug czar to Michoacan. Authorities tried to downplay Tuta’s influence, claiming he was living an isolated life hiding somewhere in the mountains.

Still, he remained a headache for the government, which eventually offered a $2 million reward for information leading to his capture. It’s not clear if that bounty led to his arrest this morning.