Despite being previously deported from the United States, a high-ranking Gulf Cartel commander was captured in Texas after slipping back into the nation illegally.
Known as “Comandante Pony,” Fabian Silva-Aguirre was arrested during a traffic stop near Brownsville.
Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector Anti-Smuggling Unit, with assistance from the Cameron County Constables Precinct 2 Office, identified and arrested Silva-Aguirre.
The cartel leader, who had been previously deported from the United States, was caught operating freely on American soil.
According to federal authorities, Silva-Aguirre played a key role in coordinating smuggling operations for both narcotics and aliens. He now faces charges of illegal re-entry after removal.
Brownsville has long been a known corridor for drug and human smuggling operations run by the Gulf Cartel.
Although it has lost some influence in recent years, the Gulf Cartel still controls large portions of the U.S.-Mexico border near the Gulf of Mexico.
Fabian Silva Aguirre, aka Commander Pony, is a drug smuggler for the Gulf Cartel.#matamoros#Tamaulipas #REYNOSA https://t.co/h9lwFJueHw pic.twitter.com/oicalcdyyV
— FURIA TINTA .. (@Furia_Tinta) April 6, 2025
Their criminal enterprise involves smuggling cocaine, methamphetamine, high-powered weapons, cash, and illegal aliens across America’s southern border.
RGV Sector Chief Gloria I. Chavez said:
“This arrest demonstrates our commitment to dismantling criminal organizations like the Gulf Cartel. By apprehending this individual, we are not only safeguarding our borders but sending a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue those who seek to exploit our nation’s security.”
The Gulf Cartel traditionally operates out of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, controlling the flow of weapons, drugs, and people into Texas.
“Comandante Pony” had significant ties to this organization and was instrumental in their criminal operations across the border.
Border patrol sources indicate that this arrest was part of ongoing efforts by U.S. border agencies to disrupt cartel activities.
As Silva-Aguirre faces justice for illegally re-entering the United States, border security advocates continue to call for stronger measures to protect American communities from the violence and crime that come with cartel operations.
