Mexican drug cartel confirms leader's death

The operational leader of Mexico's La Familia drug cartel has confirmed the death of its ideological chief, according to a recording broadcast yesterday.

The Televisa network said the recording was made by Servando Gomez on 9 December as he addressed cartel members hours after the death of Nazario Moreno, nicknamed "The Craziest One" or "The Doctor".

"Remember guys that even though our maximum leader is no longer here we have to move forward," said the voice.

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Authorities say Moreno died in a shootout with federal police in the western city of Apatzingan, but that gunmen took his body when fleeing.

Moreno, 40, was considered the ideological leader of La Familia, a bizarre and dangerous figure who urged cartel members to follow a code of morality even as they were decapitating rivals and terrorising civilians in their home state of Michoacan.

He reportedly prohibited members from using hard drugs or dealing them within Mexican territory, and handed out Bibles and money to the poor.