Mexico has extradited 29 individuals linked to the country’s powerful drug cartels to the United States
The unexpected move, which took place on Thursday, included both aging cartel leaders and younger figures involved in the trafficking of fentanyl into the U.S.
Mexican authorities confirmed the extraditions, which come amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to impose tariffs on Mexican goods.
Trump reaffirmed on Thursday that the tariffs would take effect on March 4. The handover was first reported by Reuters before official announcements from both governments.
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U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi confirmed in a written statement that the U.S. had taken custody of the 29 cartel figures. Among them is Rafael Caro Quintero, who is accused of involvement in the 1985 murder of a U.S. anti-narcotics agent. He is expected to be arraigned in Brooklyn federal court on Friday alongside at least one other defendant.
The extradition also includes Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, brother of Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” who leads the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). U.S. authorities have offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest. CJNG and the Sinaloa Cartel are considered the primary traffickers of fentanyl into the U.S.
Among those handed over is Jose Angel “El Guerito” Canobbio, a high-ranking figure in the faction of the Sinaloa Cartel led by the sons of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera.
The mass extradition signals a notable shift in Mexico’s approach to cooperation with the U.S. Between 2019 and 2023, Mexico extradited an average of 65 criminal suspects per year, according to a U.S. official. The latest move suggests an escalation in joint efforts to combat cross-border drug trafficking.
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