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2w ago

Mexico Extradites 26 Cartel Leaders to U.S. in Narco-Terror Push

The latest mass transfer follows expedited legal procedures under which the U.S. agreed not to seek the death penalty, underscoring growing bilateral efforts to dismantle major drug networks.

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FILE - The U.S. Department of Justice logo is seen on a podium before a press conference, May 6, 2025, at the Justice Department in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
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A bronze seal for the Department of the Treasury is shown at the U.S. Treasury building in Washington, U.S., January 20, 2023. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

Overview

  • Twenty-six high-ranking cartel suspects were extradited under an expedited Mexican legal process after U.S. officials agreed not to seek the death penalty.
  • The group includes Abigael González Valencia, a leader of the Los Cuinis faction aligned with the Jalisco New Generation cartel, and Roberto Salazar, wanted for the 2008 killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy.
  • They face federal charges for importing tonnage quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin, along with violent crimes such as kidnapping, murder and human smuggling.
  • This operation represents the second large-scale transfer since February, following the handover of 29 cartel figures including Rafael Caro Quintero.
  • U.S. and Mexican officials describe the strategy as vital to disrupting fentanyl flows, even as experts warn that enforcement alone may not address drug demand or could fuel further violence in Mexico.