Omar Ortiz, a Mexican football star, has been arrested for allegedly taking part in a kidnapping ring for a major drug cartel.
'El Gato', or 'The Cat,' as Ortiz's bright eyes led him to be called, is accused of selecting victims, mainly business owners, for ransoms of up to $73,000 for the Gulf drug cartel.
Having played a single match for the Mexican national team in 2002, Ortiz, a longtime regular for top division side Monterrey, was suspended for two years in 2010 after testing positive for steroids.
Al Jazeera's Bhanu Bhatnagar reports.
