Mexico Sends Big Names to the U. S. in Major Drug Bust

Mexico recently made a big move by sending 29 major drug cartel figures to the U. S. This wasn't just any ordinary transfer. These individuals are accused of some serious crimes, including violence and drug trafficking. The move came at a time when the Trump administration was putting pressure on Mexico to tackle illegal immigration, cartel activities, and fentanyl production. There was even talk of a 25% tariff on all Mexican imports if things didn't change. The group included some big names. Rafael Caro Quintero, who has been on the DEA's most-wanted list for decades, was among them. He is believed to be responsible for the 1985 murder of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. Caro Quintero had been on the run for a long time, but he was finally caught in 2022. His extradition to the U. S. was a big deal, especially since he had been walking free since 2013 due to a court decision that overturned his sentence. He was the former leader of the Guadalajara cartel and had been involved in some brutal turf wars in northern Mexico. The suspects were taken from various prisons across Mexico and flown to eight different U. S. cities. Among them were the Treviño Morales brothers, former leaders of the Los Zetas cartel. They were accused of running the Northeast Cartel from behind bars. Their transfer marked the end of a long process that began with their capture in 2013 and 2015. The Mexican Attorney General had previously described the delay in their transfer as "shameful. " The group also included leaders from the Sinaloa cartel, finance operatives, and even a man wanted for the killing of a North Carolina sheriff's deputy. Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, a former leader of the Juárez drug cartel, was also among those sent to the U. S. He is the brother of the infamous "Lord of the Skies, " Amado Carrillo Fuentes, who died in 1997 from a botched plastic surgery procedure. The transfer happened during a visit to Washington by Mexican officials, including the Foreign Affairs Secretary. They met with their U. S. counterparts to discuss various issues, including the tariffs that Trump had threatened to impose. The U. S. Attorney General promised to prosecute these criminals to the fullest extent of the law, honoring the law enforcement agents who have dedicated their careers to protecting people from violent cartels. The handover of Caro Quintero was a surprise move by Mexico. He had been walking free since 2013, but was finally arrested in 2022. The U. S. had been seeking his extradition since then, but the request had been stuck in Mexico's Foreign Affairs Ministry. This was partly due to political tensions and a curtailment of cooperation with the DEA by the previous Mexican administration. The move by Mexico is seen as a significant concession to the U. S. It also threatens to disrupt an unwritten rule that Mexican drug lords serve their sentences in Mexican prisons, where they often continued to run their operations. This could lead to a backlash from drug trafficking groups against the Mexican state. Mexican security analyst David Saucedo had predicted that the U. S. would demand increased drug seizures, arrests of high-profile suspects, and the extradition of long-targeted drug traffickers. The removals on Thursday were seen as a fulfillment of these expectations.