Elements of the Jalisco Police arrested Michael Alexander Tapia, alias “Lurch,” in Zapopan, a 35-year-old American citizen who was wanted by Interpol and had an arrest warrant for the purpose of extradition to the United States.
The operation was carried out in an exclusive subdivision, where state agents located a man whose physical characteristics coincided with those obtained during the intelligence work, according to media such as the newspaper La Jornada.
The location of Tapia was possible through the exchange of information between the Jalisco Police Intelligence and the U.S. Army. Marshals Service, US federal agency in charge of locating and detaining people wanted by justice.
Once his identity was corroborated, the agents executed the arrest warrant in force against him for federal crimes related to possession and trafficking of firearms, as well as possession of cartridges.
A decade as a fugitive
Tapia was convicted in Illinois in 2016 of various federal firearms offenses. After being released on bail, he did not return home on October 28 of that year, which is why he became a fugitive from US justice.
The search file from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) also indicated a history of links with the Latin Kings gang, although Mexican authorities have not reported whether that relationship was still active at the time of his arrest.
The ATF information described Tapia as being approximately six feet tall and weighing around 102 kilograms, in addition to distinctive tattoos on his hands and arms. The international file was used to support identification and localization efforts.
After executing the arrest warrant, state authorities notified their American counterparts and handed over the detainee to the corresponding federal authorities to continue with the extradition procedure.
Tapia's capture adds to a series of arrests of international fugitives carried out by Jalisco security corporations in recent months.
