Mexican drug cartel leader Plancarte Solis killed in shootout

Enrique Plancarte Solis, a leader in Mexico’s Caballeros Templarios -- Knights Templar -- drug cartel, was killed in a gun battle in Queretaro state, an official said.

“The identity of Enrique Plancarte, presumably killed in a shootout with the Navy Secretariat, is being verified,” the Interior Secretariat announced Tuesday in a Twitter post.

Se está verificando la identidad de Enrique Plancarte, presumiblemente abatido en un enfrentamiento con @SEMAR_mx. Mañana más información.

— SEGOB México (@SEGOB_mx) April 1, 2014

Plancarte Solis, nicknamed “Kike” and “La Chiva,” died Monday and was regarded as the cartel’s second in command following the arrest of Dioncio Loya Plancarte on Jan. 27. Another top leader, Nazario Moreno Gonzalez, died in a shootout with police last month in Michoacan state, where the criminal organization is prominent.

Mexican Marines, involved in an anti-drug operation, took part in the shootout.

The Mexican government offered a 10 million peso ($767,073) reward for information leading to the arrest of Plancarte Solis. A 30 million peso reward ($2,301,219) has been offered for Servando Gomez Martinez, top leader of the cartel.

[Mexico City News]