Zetas Arrested for Monterrey Casino Attack

5 Members of Los Zetas Gang arrested for Casino Royale Arson

Five members of the Zetas, a prominent narco-gang, were arrested for the Casino Royale arson in Monterrey.

The five suspects allegedly confessed to the arson, which killed 52 people, have been identified as:

• Luis Carlos Carrazco Espinosa, 25
• Javier Alonso "el Javo" Martinez Morales, 37
• Jonathan Jahir Reyna Gutierrez, 18
• Juan Angel Leal Flores, 20
•  Julio Tadeo "El Julio Rayas"Berrones, 28
  

Two others are being sought. Los Zetas was founded by former members of the Mexican Army's special forces as part of the Gulf Cartel, and also includes corrupt police officers and politicians. Now its own criminal organization, the Zetas raised the bar on paramilitary brutality among the warring cartels.

The Zetas were apparently targeting the casino itself, and not civilians; the arson may have been the result of an extortion arrangement.