(VitalNews.org) – In a determined effort to stop drug smuggling operations into America, President Trump scored huge success against Mexican cartels as Mexico finally handed over 29 high-ranking drug cartel figures to the U.S.
This is one of the largest extradition operations in Mexican history and included drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was involved in the brutal murder of a DEA agent in 1985.
The historic extradition comes amid President Trump’s strategic pressure on Mexico to address cartel violence and illegal immigration or face tariffs on Mexican imports.
The operation targeted members from five of the six Mexican drug cartels recently designated as “foreign terrorist organizations” by the United States government.
The DOJ confirmed the high-profile transfer includes Rafael Caro Quintero, a notorious kingpin wanted for the 1985 torture and murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena.
For decades, bringing Camarena’s killers to American justice has been a top priority for U.S. law enforcement.
The extradited criminals face serious charges, including racketeering, drug trafficking, murder, illegal weapons possession, and money laundering.
U.S. authorities wasted no time distributing the defendants to various cities, including Chicago, Houston, and New York City, where they would face American justice.
Mexico has sent drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, who was behind the killing of a U.S. DEA agent in 1985, to the United States with 28 other prisoners requested by the U.S. government, two sources confirmed to CBS News on Thursday.
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 27, 2025
The timing of this massive extradition comes amid negotiations between the U.S. and Mexico over border security, drug trafficking, and potential tariffs on Mexican imports threatened by the Trump administration.
Mexican officials, including the Foreign Minister, were in Washington for trade and security talks when the transfer was announced.
“As President Trump has made clear, cartels are terrorist groups, and this Department of Justice is devoted to destroying cartels and transnational gangs,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement.
Moreover, the U.S. had offered a $20 million reward for Caro Quintero’s capture, highlighting his importance to American law enforcement.
At 72 years old, the drug lord was recaptured in 2022 after previously being released from a Mexican prison on a technicality in 2013, a move that outraged U.S. officials at the time.
Also among those extradited were the Treviño Morales brothers, leaders of the notoriously violent Los Zetas cartel. Their extradition concludes a lengthy process following their arrests in 2013 and 2015.
Following this recent development, DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz stated:
“Today sends a message to every cartel leader, every trafficker, every criminal poisoning our communities: You will be held accountable.”
Former DEA chief of international operations Mike Vigil described the mass extradition as “historic,” noting that Mexico typically extradites only a few suspects at a time.
He openly acknowledged that the country was “hoping that it will have a positive impact on the tariff negotiations,” showing how President Trump’s firm stance is yielding real results in the fight against the cartels.
For families of victims of cartel violence, including the Camarena family, this extradition brings the possibility of long-awaited justice.
According to a nonprofit group representing the Camarena family, Caro Quintero’s “return to the U.S. would give the family much needed closure and serve the best interests of justice.”
Ultimately, the mass extradition represents a significant shift in Mexico’s approach to handling drug lords and confirms that President Trump’s tough stance on border security and international crime is working.
By designating cartels as terrorist organizations and threatening economic consequences, the administration has secured cooperation that previous administrations failed to achieve for decades.
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