Mexican security forces captured a regional drug cartel leader responsible for illegal trafficking of drugs, guns and money as well as kidnapping of migrants in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas which is along the Texas border.

The suspect was identified as Juan Manuel Rodriguez Garcia believed to be the Gulf Cartel's commander along the Texas - Mexico border and was reportedly competing for control of operations in the Tamaulipas state.

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Garcia was on the list of top ten criminal targets released by the federal government earlier this month as security forces scrambled to enforce new strategies which would hopefully cut down on drug trafficking and cartel control in the northern state.

National Security Commissioner Monte Alejandro Rubido released a statement pointing to the cartel boss as backing waves of violence in cities such as Reynosa, Rio Bravo, Matamoros, Tampico and Vallehermoso.

"He was responsible for smuggling drugs, money and arms across the border bridges," Rubido stated.

Authorities also believe Garcia to be behind the mass kidnappings of Central American migrants, who, under threat of death, were forced to work for the criminal group.

Reportedly, the 39-year-old Garcia was captured in San Pedro Garza Garcia, a city in the state of Nuevo Leon, where he had fled in an attempt to avoid arrest.

The arrest went down quietly and not a single shot was fired during the process, according to police reports.

The Gulf cartel and the notoriously vicious Los Zetas drug cartel have been fighting over control of Tamaulipas for years as the region offers prime smuggling routes into the US.

For years, the Los Zetas cartel was part of the Gulf's but they separated in 2010 and went on to form their own individual criminal organization.

U.S. authorities believe the Gulf cartel to be responsible for smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States since its formation in the 1970s.