Mexico has handed over 29 suspected drug cartel members to the United States, marking one of the largest extraditions in the country’s history.
Among those transferred is Rafael Caro Quintero, a notorious drug lord long sought by U.S. authorities for the murder of an American agent nearly four decades ago.
The extradition is seen as a significant development in security cooperation between the two nations.
It follows pressure from the U.S., where officials have been urging Mexico to take stronger action against drug trafficking and organised crime.
U.S. Officials Praise Extradition
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi emphasised the country’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks.
“As President Trump has stated, cartels operate as terrorist organisations, and the Department of Justice remains dedicated to eliminating them,” she said in a statement.
“We will prosecute these criminals to the fullest extent of the law in honour of the courageous law enforcement officers who have risked and, in some cases, lost their lives fighting these violent cartels,” she added.
Caro Quintero’s Long-Awaited Extradition
Caro Quintero, a founding member of the Guadalajara Cartel, played a major role in shaping Mexico’s drug trade.
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He was convicted in Mexico for the 1985 torture and murder of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena and spent 28 years in prison before being unexpectedly released in 2013. His release angered U.S. officials, who continued to seek his arrest.
In 2022, the Mexican Navy recaptured him after a search dog located him hiding in dense vegetation. Now in his 70s, Caro Quintero has been extradited to the U.S., where he is set to appear in a New York court.
DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz described the extradition as a “victory for the Camarena family” and issued a stern warning to cartel leaders.
“Today’s events send a clear message to every trafficker and cartel boss poisoning our communities: You will be held accountable.
No matter how long it takes or how far you try to run, justice will catch up with you,” he stated.
Other High-Profile Cartel Leaders Extradited
Among the others extradited were Miguel Ángel Treviño and Omar Treviño, notorious figures who once led the brutal Zetas Cartel.
Known by their aliases Z-40 and Z-42, the brothers were responsible for large-scale drug trafficking, massacres, kidnappings, and extortion.
Miguel Treviño was arrested by Mexican marines in 2013, while his brother Omar was captured in Monterrey in 2015. Both men faced charges in Mexico and the U.S. related to drug smuggling, homicide, and other violent crimes.
Police in Webb County, Texas, confirmed their extradition and urged Americans to exercise caution when traveling to Mexico due to potential cartel reprisals.
