Drug kingpin El Chapo ‘caught’ after trying to dodge police raid by 'escaping through a sewer'

NOTORIOUS drug cartel boss El Chapo has been nabbed by Mexican authorities after trying to escape through a sewer.

He was one of six people arrested after a three-hour operation which began at 4am local time.

Drug cartel leader Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman recaptured

Dishevelled ... drug lord after being pulled from sewer

Mexican authorities captured the fugitive during a raid that left five cartel gangsters dead

The Mexican Navy said in a statement that officials were attacked after surrounding a house in Los Mochis’ Scally neighbourhood following reports men armed with weapons were inside.

Loera is led away by authorities Getty

Five criminals protecting the fugitive drug lord are understood to have died in the operation carried out by the Mexican Marines and US Drug Enforcement Administration.

The home in Los Mochis whereJoaquin Guzman Loera was captured Universal News And Sport

A member of the Mexican Navy Force points a weapon into a sewer during military operations after the capture EPA

Enrique Peña Nieto announced the high profile arrest on his Twitter account, saying: “Mission accomplished: we have him. I want to inform Mexicans Joaquin Guzman Loera has been arrested.”

Mexican president announces arrest Twitter / @EPN

Nicknamed El Chapo, which means ‘Shorty’, Loera has been on the run from the feds since escaping state prison in July 2015.

Carted off by cops in 2014

It was a major embarrassment for the government, as it was the kingpin's second escape from custody, but questions remain over whether he will extradited to the US to face trial.

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The 60-year-old gave his guards the slip by crawling through a tunnel dug from under a shower in the maximum security prison.

Ten-foot ladder leading down to passage AP

A ten-foot ladder led down to the passage which was two feet wide and 5ft 6in tall, the same height as El Chapo.

It measured a mile long and was fitted with rails and a motorbike that whisked the drug lord to the other end.

Motorbike on rails in escape tunnel AP

It led to a half built house on a building site outside the prison from which he fled.