Mexican drug cartel leader held over US agent's murder

MEXICAN police have arrested a top lieutenant of the Zetas drug cartel who was linked to the murder of a US immigration agent in February.

Police captured Jesus "El Mamito" Rejon in a Mexico City suburb on Sunday "without firing a shot," the ministry said in a statement.

Rejon is a founding member and currently third in command of the Zetas, which was started by former Mexican special forces soldiers and is considered the country's most brutal cartel.

Turf wars between the Zetas and other cartels have transformed parts of Mexico into lawless killing grounds.

Rejon was travelling with a police officer who was brokering the drug lord's passage through the region, the ministry said. The police officer was also arrested.

Around 40,000 people have died in Mexico's drug wars since 2006. The US had offered a $5 million dollar reward for Rejon.