ASP capture El Salvadoran man wanted internationally for gang-related crimes

What began as a routine traffic stop on November 6th turned into a major arrest when Arkansas State Police (ASP) troopers captured a man who was wanted internationally for gang-related crimes.

Troopers identified the man as 42-year-old Elias Avila Bustillo, a native of El Salvador. According to Arkansas State Police (ASP) officials, Bustillo is wanted in El Salvador for his involvement in illegal gang activities, and he was also in the U.S. illegally.

The stop occurred around 9 p.m. on Interstate 40 in North Little Rock, near the 160-mile marker. Bustillo was a passenger in the vehicle, but as troopers approached, he fled on foot into a nearby field.

A search was quickly launched, with additional troopers, an Arkansas State Police Air Support unit, and a K9 unit from the Arkansas Department of Corrections assisting in the effort. After about an hour of searching, officers successfully located Bustillo.

Bustillo was taken into custody and transported to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Little Rock. He remains in the custody of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.

Officials noted that Bustillo is the subject of an Interpol Red Notice , which is a global request for law enforcement agencies around the world to locate and arrest him.