Three members of the security forces died during violent street clashes in the state of Sinaloa in Mexico after the arrest of Guzmán-López, the son of the famous dog dealer “El Chapo”, writes the BBC.

Ovidio Guzmán-López was captured in Culiacan and transferred to Ciudad de Mexico. Angry members of drug gangs blocked roads, set fire to cars and attacked the local airport.

Two planes were hit by shelling, and more than 100 flights were canceled at three airports in Sinaloa. The airliner was hit by a bullet seconds before takeoff, Aeromexico said, adding that passengers were taken to shelters.

Roads were blocked in various areas of the city, the authorities urged residents to stay at home. Many shops were also looted.

The gunfight between the security forces and the gang members continued till Thursday afternoon and three security forces personnel were injured. Several dozen more people were injured, 18 of them were hospitalized.

Who is Ovidio Guzman?

Ovidio Guzmán, nicknamed “El Raton” (“The Mouse”), was arrested in Culiacan, the capital of the state of Sinaloa. Mexican Defense Minister Luis Cresencio Sandoval said he was accused of coordinating Los Menores, a group linked to the Pacific cartel (another name for the Sinaloa cartel).

Ovidio Guzmán was also briefly arrested in October 2019 in the state of Sinaloa, then released specifically to avoid brutal retaliation by his group.

This cartel four decades ago founded “El Chapo”, who is in custody in the United States.

The US State Department says Ovidio Guzmán and his brother Joaquin currently control approximately eleven methamphetamine laboratories in the state of Sinaloa, producing about 1,300 to 2,200 kilograms of the drug per month. According to the State Department report, these drugs are sold to other cartel members and distributors in the United States and Canada.

The 32-year-old drug trafficker was flown aboard an Air Force plane to Mexico, where he was brought to the office of a prosecutor who specializes in organized crime cases. Another leader of the Sinaloa cartel has also been arrested, according to a number of Mexican publications citing federal sources.

Ovidio Guzmán is the most prominent of the Los Chapitos clan, which includes his three brothers, Joaquín Guzmán, Ivan Archivaldo and Jesus Alfredo, who Mexican authorities say are involved in the drug trade. In December, the United States announced a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest of Guzmán-López and his three brothers.

His father Joaquín Guzmán – El Chapo – was sentenced to life in prison in 2019 for his involvement in the management of the Sinaloa cartel. El Chapo was accused of transporting at least 1,200 tons of cocaine to the United States over a 25-year period. During the trial, prosecutors proved that El Chapo killed or ordered to kill at least 26 people.

The arrest came as US President Joe Biden arrived in Mexico on Sunday, a day ahead of schedule, for a meeting with the leaders of Mexico and Canada.