Mexico extradited 29 Mexican cartel members to the U.S. in February 2025 in a “good faith” gesture. REUTERS
REUTERS
Mexico handed over major figures in the country’s criminal underworld to U.S. authorities in February 2025 as part of a surprise extradition of nearly 30 jailed convicts or others accused of ties to violent drug cartels. Some are aging gang leaders who reigned over international trafficking rings decades ago that profited from cocaine and heroin. Others are much younger leaders engaged in moving large quantities of deadly fentanyl into the United States more recently.
Mexican authorities confirmed officials handed over 29 cartel figures to the U.S. on February 27. Reuters reported the unusual handover, Mexico’s largest in years, before the Mexican and U.S. governments announced it. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a written statement, confirmed the U.S. had taken the 29 defendants into custody.
At least two of the defendants — including Rafael Caro Quintero, who is alleged to have been among those responsible for the 1985 murder of a U.S. anti-narcotics agent — were arraigned in Brooklyn federal court.
Also handed over are newer narcos such as Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, the brother of Mexico’s most-wanted drug lord, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, who leads the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). U.S. authorities have offered a $15 million reward for any information leading to the arrest of Nemesio, known as “El Mencho.”
U.S. authorities say CJNG is one of the two major Mexican drug gangs, along with the notorious Sinaloa Cartel, responsible for pushing fentanyl onto U.S. streets over the past few years. A high-ranking figure in the wing of the Sinaloa Cartel led by the sons of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman Loera, Jose Angel “El Guerito” Canobbio, was also among those turned over.
The mass extradition marks a significant escalation compared with past years. From 2019 through 2023, Mexico extradited an average of 65 wanted criminal suspects per year to its northern neighbor, according to data provided by a U.S. official.
Caro Quintero was sent to New York, where he has been indicted on drug-trafficking charges. The 72-year-old co-founded the Guadalajara Cartel, once one of Latin America’s most powerful drug groups. He spent 28 years in prison for the brutal murder and torture of former DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, one of the most notorious killings in Mexico’s bloody narco wars.
The accused traffickers were sent to eight destinations across the U.S., including Chicago, Houston, Phoenix and Washington.
Caro Quintero’s extradition means “the message goes forth — we will never forget if you harm or kill one of our agents,” a former U.S. official who was briefed on the operation said.
Caro Quintero has previously denied involvement in Camarena’s murder. He was released in 2013 by a Mexican judge and returned to trafficking before he was recaptured by Mexican authorities in 2022.
Top Mexican officials were in Washington in late February 2025 for meetings. Mexico said security officials had agreed to take measures in coming weeks to clamp down on fentanyl and arms trafficking.