Colombian police capture key man in drug cartel linked to Mexico and the U.S.

Colombian police on Thursday announced the capture of a man who is believed to have been a key figure in a Colombian drug cartel which has links to Mexico and the United States.

According to the El Colombiano newspaper, Julio Enrique Ayala Muñoz was identified as a man at the service of the drug cartel known as "Los Comba." The criminal organization is led by brothers Javier Antonio and Luis Enrique Calle Serna.

Ayala, also known as "Condor," was in charge of the relations with the Sinaloa cartel which operates in Mexico's drug-plagued north. He is accused of shipping tons of cocaine to Mexico after which the Sinaloa cartel shipped the cocaine to the United States.

Three killed including one officer in series of attacks in drug-plagued north Mexico

At least 3 people were killed, including a traffic official, while 2 police officers were injured in a series of attacks in the country's drug-plagued northern state of Nuevo Leon, officials said Wednesday.

The first incident occurred at around 5:30 p.m. local time in the small town of Santiago, Nuevo Leon, when a group of gunmen carrying AR-15 and AK-47 rifles attacked two men traveling on a truck. No further details were available, but the two men reportedly died during the attack.