MEXICO CITY, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Mexican police arrested an alleged drug trafficker wanted by the United States during an operation at Mexico City's airport, the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection said on Monday.

The detainee, Sergio Miguel Vega Mendoza "El Latigo", was considered a priority target by the U.S. Justice Department, which asked Mexico for his arrest to prosecute him for crimes against health (drug trafficking) and criminal association.

Agents from the Intelligence and Regional Security divisions of the Mexican Federal Police arrested the suspect when he was boarding a flight to Culiacan, capital of the northwestern Mexican state of Sinaloa, the ministry said in a statement.

The 47-year-old suspect is an alleged financial operator of the Sinaloa Cartel, an international drug trafficking organization, and has his own scheme for cocaine trafficking from South America to Mexico, the ministry said.

"The Federal Police initiated the investigations to combat the criminal organization's financial structure since April in Sinaloa and Mexico City," the ministry added.