Another criminal target of the “Se Busca Información” campaign has been apprehended, highlighting the ongoing cooperation between Mexico and the United States. On March 6, U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector Foreign Operations Branch reported that Leonel SALAS-Favela, also known as "El Sobrino," was captured in Poanas, Durango, Mexico. He is a current target on the “Se Busca Información” initiative and has an outstanding warrant for aggravated kidnapping. Various Government of Mexico agencies were involved in this operation, and he is currently held by Mexican authorities pending prosecution.
Since July 2024, information about SALAS-Favela's location in Durango has been received through the “Se Busca Información” tip line. The El Paso Sector Foreign Operations Branch provided this information to Mexican officials for further action.
The “Se Busca Información” initiative aims to identify ten individuals associated with transnational criminal organizations wanted for crimes such as alien smuggling, kidnapping, narcotics trafficking, and murder. These individuals are sought by both U.S. and Mexican law enforcement.
The campaign encourages public participation from both sides of the border to report information anonymously about these dangerous criminals. The phone lines are available 24 hours a day, connecting directly to El Paso Sector Border Patrol call centers.
Visuals of the ten wanted individuals are displayed on posters, flyers, and billboards across the United States and Mexico borders for public awareness. In Mexico, they appear on bulletins along city streets and in convenience stores. In the United States, posters are placed at U.S. Border Patrol stations, immigration checkpoints, and international ports of entry within the El Paso and New Mexico border regions.
People with information can confidentially report it via phone numbers 1-800-635-2509 or 915-314-8194 using voice messages or messaging platforms like WhatsApp.
“This bilateral initiative between the United States and Mexico is in the best interest of both countries to pursue a safer and more secure border,” stated U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector Interim Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar. “The ‘Se Busca Información’ is a positive example of how United States and Mexican law enforcement can cooperate to bring dangerous criminals to justice.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) serves as America's frontline: it is the nation's largest law enforcement organization and operates as a unified border management agency globally. Over 65,000 personnel work within CBP to protect America on land, air, and sea while facilitating lawful travel and trade.
