Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman thought his high-tech gadgets would keep him hidden from the law, but despite spending lavishly on this equipment he was brought to justice via a simple wire tap.
The Associated Press said Guzman, who was head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, was finally nailed with the help of an old-fashioned wire tap placed on a phone in Nogalez, Ariz. He was caught despite his use of equipment that could track and notify him of transmissions coming from bugs placed inside his safe houses or on people he was meeting. This was far and above what is normally found on such crimminals.
"It was top-notch," the law enforcement official said to The AP.
Guzman's use of technology allowed him to lead a more or less open life where he could live freely and travel more or less at will.
However, this was the last in a string of events that led to his capture. During the course of the investigation, which lasted over a year, the law enforcement departments were able to listen in on some mobile phone calls and other types of communications. These agencies were further helped when a raid on one of Guzman's suspected hideouts in Culiacan, Mexico resulted in the capture of a cellphone belonging to Guzman's communications chief.
This allowed Mexican and U.S. officials to start rolling up a string of couriers who had information on where Guzman could be hiding.
Lending a hand was Guzman's own attitude. He had started to become complacent, one source said. In the past when he was able to elude the authorities, he ditched all of his phones thus making the wiretaps in place useless. However, after receiving a tip that Guzman was in one of seven safe homes in Culiacan, the location was attacked by Mexican Marines. Guzman again managed to escape, but this time took one of his still-bugged phones with him on the run.
Guzman then used the phone to call for help, leading the Marines to a condo where he was holed up with his wife and daughters.
U.S. authorities are now trying to extradite Guzman from Mexico so he can face trial in the states. This is being done, in part, to block a repeat of Guzman's escape from a Mexican jail in 2001. However, Mexican authorities intend to keep him locked up for the foreseeable future, according to one report.
