The son of slain Gulf Cartel leader 'Tony Tormenta' has been arrested following an incident outside a Matamoros hotel popular with tourists from the Rio Grande Valley.
The Mexican Navy (SEMAR) confirmed that marines arrested 23-year-old Ezequiel Cardenas-Rivera during a special operation late Friday night.
It all happened outside the Gran Hotel Residencial just off Avenida Alvaro Obregon just south of the B&M International Bridge.
Witnesses told Action 4 News that marines had the hotel surrounded and had made numerous arrests early Saturday morning.
The Gran Hotel Residencial is a popular spot for wedding receptions and other events drawing residents from both sides of the border.
It's also the same hotel where a large group of Mexican federal police have been staying since last year.
Arrest Details
In a statement released Tuesday morning, SEMAR officials confirm that the whole incident stemmed from an anonymous tip.
Cardenas-Rivera and four others had been at a party inside a building off Avenida Alvaro Obregon.
Marines allegedly saw armed men leaving the party inside three vehicles.
But SEMAR officials reproted that Cardenas-Rivera and the four others were arrested without the exchange of gunfire.
Authorities identified Cardenas-Rivera as the son of slain Gulf Cartel leader Antonio Ezequiel Cardenas-Guillen, who went by the nickname "Tony Tormenta" and was killed in a gun battle with soldiers back on November 5, 2010.
Other Arrests
The others four arrested outside the hotel were identified as:
• Jose de Jesus Garcia-Hernandez, aka "El Chuy", 32
• Rene Alberto Munguia-Elizondo, aka "El Amable", 43
• Javier Enrique Farias-Garcia, aka "El Contador", 49
• Erasmo Garcia-Galvan, aka "El Checo", 37
Garcia-Hernandez was identified as the Gulf Cartel plaza boss for Matamoros while Munguia-Elinzondo allegedly worked as his accountant.
Farias-Garcia worked as the Gulf Cartel's chief financial operator while Garcia-Galvan allegedly oversaw drug smuggling operations to the United States.
All five men remain in custody where they're facing federal organized crime charges.
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