Pubdate: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 Source: San Luis Obispo County Tribune (CA) Copyright: 1999 The Tribune Contact: P.O. Box 112, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406-0112 Fax: 805.781.7905 Website: http://www.thetribunenews.com/ Author: Associated Press MEXICO OFFICIALS ARREST CARTEL LEADER MEXICO CITY (AP) - A man described as a leader of one of Mexico's biggest drug organizations has been arrested, authorities announced Saturday. Juan Jose Quintero Payan, believed to be a member of the Juarez Cartel, was arrested Friday in Zapopan in the western state of Jalisco, said Mariano Herran Salvatti, Mexico's top anti-drug prosecutor. Quintero Payan, 57, was alone with a mistress at the time of his arrest, Herran said at a news conference. He was unarmed and no shots were fired. Herran said Quintero Payan was a leader of the cartel's cell in Jalisco and the neighboring state of Sinaloa, a major drug trafficking state. He said Quintero Payan had an important role in transporting cocaine from Colombia to the United States, Herran said. Herran said Quintero Payan had been a mentor of Jose Esparragoza, a powerful lieutenant of Amado Carrillo Fuentes, the late cartel leader. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D