Cartel figure detained as officials recover drugs, guns and 7 tigers

Crime Cartel figure captured in Mexico as authorities recover drugs, guns and 7 tigers By Stephen Smith Stephen Smith Managing Editor Stephen Smith is a managing editor for CBSNews.com based in New York. A Washington, D.C. native, Steve was previously an editorial producer for the Washington Post, and has also worked in Los Angeles, Boston and Tokyo. Read Full Bio Stephen Smith May 11, 2026 / 12:35 PM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The leader of a group linked to a notorious cartel that operates near the U.S. border has been detained in Mexico, officials announced Monday. Authorities said they recovered weapons, drugs, cash and seven tigers during the arrest.José Antonio Cortes Huerta, 39, the leader of a cell affiliated with the Northeast Cartel, was arrested after four search warrants were executed in In Nuevo León, stemming from investigation following the seizure of a boat in Tamaulipas, security minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said in a social media post. A woman, identified as 41-year-old Rosario Flores Alemán, was also detained.Authorities said they seized unidentified narcotics, cash, 10 guns, 11 vehicles, six motorcycles — and seven tigers.Some Mexican drug cartels are known to house exotic cats as symbols of power and, occasionally, to dispose of their enemies.  According to a 2023 U.S. indictment, some victims of a Sinaloa cartel faction were "fed dead or alive to tigers." Authorities recovered weapons, drugs and seven tigers during the arrest. Mexico Security Minister Officials said the seized items are linked to Roberto Blanco Cantú who is known as "El Señor de los Buques" ("The Lord of the Ships"), a majority shareholder of the company Mefra Fletes. Cantu is allegedly responsible for fuel smuggling and is affiliated with the Northeast Cartel.The Northeast Cartel (Cártel del Noreste) — a remnant of the infamous Zetas based in the border state of Tamaulipas — was designated as a foreign...