MEXICO CITY - Mexican federal agents Wednesday detained Bernabe Monje Silva, known as "El M14" and believed to be the leader of the Pacific drug cartel, the Federal Police (PFP) said.

Related readings:  Gunmen kill top police commander in Mexican state  Brutal slayings rock Mexican resort city  Mexican female soldiers train for drug crackdown  Mexican Navy captures 30 Gulf drug Cartel members

Monje was detained in northern Durango state, the PFP said in a statement, adding that Monje's two bodyguards were arrested in the same operation.

Monje is also a member of La Linea cartel. Before that he was a policeman in northern Chihuahua state. He was suspected as the mastermind of numerous operations of illegal drug distribution, weapon trafficking and car robbery in the states of Durango, Sinaloa and Mexico City, the PFP said.

The police seized three Ak-47 machine guns, three short guns, multiple rounds of ammunitions, as well as communication equipment and three vehicles, according to the PFP.