Reputed Mexican drug lord arrested

MEXICO CITY, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A reputed drug cartel boss is in custody in Mexico, authorities say.

The Mexican Defense Secretariat said Alberto Espinoza Barron, known as "La Fresa" or "The Strawberry," was arrested Monday in Morelia, capital of Michoacan state, the Latin American Herald Tribune reported Wednesday.

Espinoza Barron is alleged to have been a key leader of the La Familia Michoacana drug trafficking gang in western Mexico.

He allegedly was the so-called "plaza chief" in Morelia, coordinating cocaine shipments to the United States, the Defense Secretariat said.

While he was said to have kept a low profile, he was reputed to have had complete control over distribution points from drugs shipped from South America to Lazaro Cardenas port, the Herald Tribune said. He allegedly intimidated authorities and recruited them in order to protect his drug operations.

In addition, he allegedly extorted money from businesses and arranged kidnappings.