Guzman Escapes

On January 19, 2001, Joaquin Guzman-Loera escaped from the maximum-security Puente Grande prison in Mexico's state of Jalisco, where he was serving a 20 year sentence for Criminal Association and Bribery. Cops say Guzman carefully masterminded his escape plan, wielding influence over almost everyone in the prison, including the facility's director. He allegedly had the prison guards on his payroll, smuggled contraband into the prison and received preferential treatment from the staff.

According to officials, Guzman began crafting his escape plan by befriending a maintenance worker, Javier Camberos, at the prison. Police say that after assuring the worker's compliance in the plan, he told two guards that Camberos would be smuggling some gold out of the prison on his behalf. The guards made all of the necessary preparations, and on the night of January 19th, Guzman climbed into a laundry cart to be wheeled out by Camberos. Police say the prison guards had supposedly left doors propped open and had removed security camera tape thinking that the cart contained only gold. Guzman fooled everyone and has not been seen since. According to officials, seventy-eight people have been implicated in his escape plan.

Alleged Drug Lord's Past

In the 1980s, officials say Guzman-Loera was associated with Miguel Angel Felix-Gallardo, a.k.a. El Padrino, the head of the most powerful drug trafficking group in Mexico at that time. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Guzman-Loera left the El Padrino organization and soon gained notoriety as the head of his own international criminal enterprise.

Police say Guzman-Loera is known for his used of a sophisticated tunnel in Douglas, Arizona that was used to smuggle cocaine from Mexico into the U.S. in the early 1990s. In 1993, 7.3 tons of cocaine, concealed in cans of chili peppers and destined for the United States, was seized in Tecate, Baja California Norte, Mexico.

A Case Of Mistaken Identity

In May of that year, members of the rival Arellon-Feliz Organization coordinated a failed attempt to assassinate Guzman-Loera in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, which resulted in the much publicized murder of the prominent Catholic Cardinal Jan Jesus Posadas-Ocampo. Police believe the Arellon-Feliz Organization thought Guzman-Loera was in the car, but sadly, the beloved Cardinal was shot instead.

At about the same time, an even more sophisticated tunnel that stretched from Tijuana Baja California Norte, Mexico to the Otay Mesa, California area was discovered. Guzman-Loera was arrested in Mexico, but since his escape, authorities have been unable to track him down.