U.S. agents knew of 'El Chapo' escape plots in 2014

WASHINGTON -- U.S. drug authorities knew Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and his associates had developed several escape plans starting almost immediately after his arrest last year, according to internal Drug Enforcement Administration documents obtained by The Associated Press.

The documents reveal drug agents got information on escape plans in March 2014, about a month after Guzman was captured in the Mexican town of Mazatlan. Guzman family members and drug-world associates were considering "potential operations to free Guzman," the documents show.

That Guzman began plotting to break out shortly after his arrest should have come as little surprise to Mexican authorities: The DEA had alerted them about the plans. Mexican federal government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the earlier escape schemes.