Rafael Caro Quintero, one of the founders of the Guadalajara Cartel and considered one of the first drug traffickers in Mexico, was released in August 2013 after serving 28 years in prison, having been arrested in December 2005.
In addition to Caro Quintero, leaders of Los Zetas, such as Miguel Treviño Morales and his brother Omar Treviño Morales, alias 'El Z-40' and 'El Z-42', respectively, were also extradited to the United States. The extradited individuals were wanted for their links to criminal organizations for drug trafficking and other crimes.
Authorities confirmed that the transfer of detainees took place under institutional protocols respecting individuals' rights. The extraditions were carried out in response to requests from the United States Department of Justice as part of bilateral cooperation.
The former drug trafficker Rafael Caro Quintero was arrested on July 15, 2022, in San Simón, Sinaloa. Known as the 'narco of narcos', he was convicted for the murder of DEA agent Enrique 'Kiki' Camarena in 1985. After his release in 2013, the DEA indicated that he had resumed drug trafficking activities and was leading the Sinaloa Cartel alongside Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, who was arrested in August 2024.
In a coordinated action, 29 Mexican individuals deprived of their liberty in various penitentiary centers across the country were handed over to U.S. authorities this Thursday, according to the Attorney General's Office (FGR) of Mexico.
