(Mexico City) In a stunning move, Mexico extradited 29 high-profile drug traffickers to the United States on Thursday, including notorious cartel leaders Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales (Z-40), his brother Omar Treviño (Z-42), and the infamous Rafael Caro Quintero. The Mexican attorney general’s office confirmed the transfer but kept details vague. However, sources confirmed the list includes figures from Mexico’s most powerful cartels—Los Zetas, Sinaloa, Gulf, Juárez, and Beltrán Leyva.
“Justice will be served,” the U.S. Attorney General’s Office declared. Washington has been after many of these men for decades.
Karoline Leavitt released a statement on Friday morning:
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 02/28/25 Statement from the Press Secretary |
| “Last night, 29 Mexican Cartel Members were extradited to the United States. President Trump directed the Department of Justice and the Department of State to make this happen, and Attorney General Bondi and Secretary of State Rubio did a tremendous job in getting this done. The group of cartel members, who will soon arrive on American soil, includes one of the most evil cartel bosses in the world, Rafael Caro Quintero, who tortured and murdered DEA Agent Kiki Camerena in 1985. The previous Administration allowed these criminals to run free and commit crimes all over the world. The Trump Administration is declaring these thugs as terrorists, because that is what they are, and demanding justice for the American people.” |
A Timely Deal?
The extradition comes as Mexico scrambles to prevent a 25% tariff on its exports to the U.S.—a hardball tactic by President Donald Trump, who has tied trade policy to border security and the fentanyl crisis. Trump has given Mexico until March 4 to deliver on its promises.
Coincidence? Hardly.
During a high-stakes meeting in Washington, Mexican officials laid out their efforts to curb cartel violence. Over the past four months, the government has arrested more than 13,000 criminals, seized over 6,500 weapons, and confiscated over a ton of fentanyl.
“Mexico is doing its part,” a top Mexican diplomat said. “Now, let’s talk trade.”
Caro Quintero: A DEA Victory Decades in the Making
Perhaps the biggest fish in this extradition is Rafael Caro Quintero, once the mastermind of the Guadalajara Cartel. The U.S. has long sought him for the 1985 murder of DEA agent Enrique ‘Kiki’ Camarena.
“This is personal,” said DEA Acting Administrator Derek S. Maltz. “Caro Quintero has finally arrived on U.S. soil, and he will face justice.”
Quintero was captured in 2022 after years in hiding. His previous prison stint ended in 2013 when a Mexican court released him early—a move that outraged Washington. Now, there’s no escape.
The Zetas: Lords of Terror Finally Caged
Miguel and Omar Treviño, former heads of Los Zetas, built an empire of horror. Once an elite enforcer wing for the Gulf Cartel, Los Zetas splintered into their own force, pioneering mass executions, extortion, and public displays of mutilated victims. Their reign of terror reached its peak in the late 2000s, when their battles with the Gulf Cartel and other rivals turned cities into war zones.
Even behind bars, the Treviño brothers allegedly ran their cartel, laundering money and directing drug shipments. The U.S. indictment claims they smuggled 45 tons of cocaine over two decades and pocketed $10 million annually.
No more.
“They thought they were untouchable,” a U.S. law enforcement source said. “Now, they’re facing life—or worse.”
What’s Next?
For some, the U.S. will push for the death penalty. For others, maximum-security prisons await. But the real question remains: is this a genuine crackdown, or is Mexico simply making a political trade to keep its economy afloat?
As Trump’s deadline looms, one thing is clear: the game between Mexico’s cartels and Washington just got a lot more interesting.
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