The government of Mexico carried out a massive extradition of 29 Mexican drug traffickers to the United States, an unprecedented event, among which Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, alias 'Z-40', stands out. Both he and his lawyer deny that he is the true former leader of Los Zetas. Miguel Ángel and his brother, Omar Treviño Morales, 'Z-42', are considered the most bloodthirsty bosses of the criminal organization Los Zetas, known for their brutality and violence against rivals.
According to the United States Department of Justice, both brothers took control of Los Zetas in 2012 after more than a decade as members of the violent drug trafficking organization. Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales began his criminal career in Dallas, Texas, joining a gang dedicated to drug dealing and car theft. His proficiency in English and smuggling led him to be recruited by Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, leader of the Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas in 1990.
In 2002, Treviño Morales deserted and joined the security wing of the Gulf Cartel. He was arrested in 2013 in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, in a seven-minute operation where no shots were fired. The United States formally charged him in 2014 with drug trafficking and firearms offenses, as well as murders, kidnappings, and tortures to promote the drug trafficking of the Northeast Cartel and enrich its members. He is held responsible for the kidnapping and murder of 72 migrants in 2010, as well as the 'Allende Massacre' in Coahuila in 2011 and the murder of José Eduardo Moreira in 2012.
Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales has maintained his innocence during his 11 years in prison in Mexico and denies being 'Z-40'. In a letter to the president of Mexico in 2024, he claimed that the authorities confused him with a namesake. His lawyer has presented evidence indicating that he is not the criminal leader nicknamed 'Z-40'. Despite having injunctions to avoid extradition, he was sent to the United States. In 2012, Los Zetas split into two factions, led by Treviño Morales and Heriberto Lazcano. After Lazcano's death, the Treviño Morales became the highest-ranking commanders of Los Zetas.
