Mexico Drug Kingpin Edgar Valdez

Edgar "Barbie" Valdez has admitted to being involved in the drugs trade, during an interrogation filmed by Mexican police. He says he took orders from no-one, but claims to know personally many of Mexico's most feared cartel bosses. He also revealed that he protected the man suspected of shooting a Paraguayan footballer in Mexico City in January.

Mr Valdez, arrested on Monday, faces numerous drug-trafficking charges in Mexico and the US.

Officials are portraying his capture as a major coup for President Felipe Calderon, who has focused on the fight against the cartels since he came to power in 2006. The battle against the gangs has left some 28,000 people dead in the past four years.

Gang war

Mr Valdez is said to have risen to prominence as the security guard of cartel leader Arturo Beltran Leyva.

Mr Beltran Leyva was shot and killed by security forces last December, sparking a brutal fight for control of the gang between Mr Valdez and Mr Beltran Leyva's brother, Hector.

Earlier this month, police found four decapitated bodies hanging from a bridge in the city of Cuernavaca; their heads were discovered nearby with a message warning that anyone supporting Edgar Valdez would risk a similar fate.

Mr Valdez has been charged with distributing thousands of kilograms of cocaine in eastern US between 2004 and 2006.

Posted in: Crime,Drug Kingpin,Gang