▁the ▁G ulf ▁Cart el ▁and ▁Los ▁Z et as ▁behind ▁bars ; ▁with ▁his ▁extr ad ition ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Los ▁Z et as ▁and ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Cart el ▁kept ▁their ▁al liance ▁under ▁a ▁loose ▁relationship , ▁but ▁each ▁of ▁their ▁respective ▁leaders ▁attempted ▁to ▁fill ▁the ▁leadership ▁void . ▁Following ▁several ▁disag re ements ▁and ▁internal ▁power ▁strugg les , ▁both ▁criminal ▁organizations ▁broke ▁their ▁al liance ▁and ▁declared ▁war ▁at ▁each ▁other ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁information ▁from ▁U . S . ▁law ▁enfor cement , ▁M ell ado ▁Cruz ▁s ided ▁with ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Cart el ▁after ▁the ▁split ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁maintain ▁a ▁low - profile ▁status ▁and ▁avoid ▁public ▁attention . ▁Under ▁the ▁G ulf ▁Cart el , ▁he ▁alleg edly ▁o vers aw ▁organized ▁crime ▁activities ▁at ▁the ▁U . S .- M ex ico ▁border ▁area ▁known ▁as ▁La ▁Rib ere ña , ▁which ▁en comp ass es ▁the ▁municipal ities ▁of ▁Cam argo ▁and ▁Miguel ▁A lem án ▁in ▁T ama ul ip as . ▁S omet ime ▁between ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁M ell ado ▁Cruz ▁escaped ▁from ▁two ▁pr isons ▁in ▁T ama ul ip as ▁after ▁being ▁imprison ed ▁for ▁ra pe , ▁armed ▁rob ber y , ▁hom ic ide , ▁and ▁drug ▁tra ff ick ing . ▁He ▁also ▁had ▁th ir teen