Edgar Campos-Barraza: Mexico hitman caught because of traffic violation

GlobalPost

Suspected Mexican drug cartel hitman Edgar Campos-Barraza managed to hide in Sandusky, Ohio, for 10 years, until he had his cover blown for a traffic violation.

Campos-Barraza was pulled over on an Ohio highway for a "traffic code violation," US Border Patrol spokesman Kris Grogan told the Toronto Star. "He was totally cooperative and there was no issue" when police pulled Campos-Barraza over. He is now back in Mexico and under arrest.

Campos-Barraza, better known as "El Cholo," is an alleged assassin for the Sinaloa Cartel, according to CNN. An original tip about his whereabouts was given to the US by the Mexican government.

More from GlobalPost: Sinaloa: 7 killed in drug gang shoot out

"It was a great example of how we work with the Mexican government," Border Patrol spokesman Geoffrey Ramer said to CNN. "San Diego [Border Patrol] forwarded the information to us, and [Campos-Barraza] was removed for being here illegally in the country. The Mexican law enforcement officials met him at the US-Mexico border on April 12."

According to UPI, Campos-Barraza was charged with "aggravated kidnapping and criminal conspiracy" in Mexico and was a suspect in the murder of a state police officer in Baja California, Mexico.

The Toronto Star reported that "El Cholo," Campos-Barraza's nickname, is a Hispanic racial slur for someone of mixed Native American and Mexican heritage.

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