Operation Black Swan

Operation Black Swan was a joint U.S. and Mexican-led military operation that resulted in the recapture of the Sinaloa Cartel leader, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, following a deadly firefight in the city of Los Mochis, Sinaloa, on January 8, 2016. Officials in the Mexican government announced that the operation was planned and executed by the Mexican Special Forces, and that they had originally targeted an important Sinaloa Cartel assassin at a home in Los Mochis, and happened to find Guzmán as well. U.S. government officials announced that members of the United States Army's Delta Force and the United States Marshals Service assisted the Mexican Marines in the January 8 mission, and will pursue the extradition of Guzmán to the United States.[1][2]

Guzmán had been on the run since his escape from a federal prison in Almoloya de Juárez, Mexico, on July 11, 2015. On January 8, 2016, Mexican naval forces moved into position to raid a house in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, believed to be occupied by one of Guzmán's top assassins or sicarios. As they entered the building, an "intense" gun battle erupted between the marines and several armed assailants, leaving five of the cartel gunmen dead and six wounded. One marine was also wounded. During the chaos of the firefight, the marines discovered Guzmán, who fled the house through a series of tunnels and then attempted to escape in a stolen vehicle. Shortly thereafter he was spotted by federal agents and apprehended outside a motel a short distance away from the house.[1]

The Mexican Marine reported that they found an arms cache at the house consisting of eight assault rifles, two M16 rifles with grenade launchers, two Barrett M82 sniper rifles, and a loaded rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Two armored cars were also seized.[3]