The United States is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the capture of a reputed Mexican drug cartel leader.
The U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Antonio Garza, said in a statement Thursday that Jorge Eduardo Costilla Sanchez is charged with 12 counts of drug trafficking and money laundering and is wanted for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer.
The statement said Costilla Sanchez is believed to be the head of the Gulf Coast drug cartel, an organization responsible for distributing thousands of kilograms of cocaine and marijuana into Mexico and the U.S. each year.
Garza described Costilla Sanchez as the "linchpin of a network of drug dealers and murderers." The ambassador said residents in border communities will be significantly safer if Costilla Sanchez is apprehended and brought to justice.
Some information for this report was provided by AP.