Mexico extradites 37 cartel operatives to U.S.

Mexican authorities transferred 37 criminal organization operatives to the United States, marking the third large-scale extradition since President Trump returned to office.

Mexico’s security secretary Omar García Harfuch said Tuesday morning that the transfer was carried out by the country’s Security Cabinet under bilateral cooperation mechanisms. He said the transfer, at the request of the U.S. Justice Department, included a commitment not to seek the death penalty.

The 37 individuals were flown to Washington, Houston, New York, Pennsylvania, San Antonio and San Diego aboard seven Mexican military aircraft, García Harfuch said. He said the transfer brings the total number of high-impact criminals sent to the United States during the current administration to 92.

According to Infobae, the group includes operatives linked to multiple criminal organizations, including the Cártel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), the Sinaloa Cartel, the Cártel del Noreste, the Beltrán Leyva Organization and Los Zetas.

Those transferred include José Luis Sánchez Valencia, known as “Chalamán,” identified as a relative of CJNG leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes; Armando Gómez Núñez, known as “Delta 1,” identified as the leader of the CJNG-linked group Los Deltas; Pedro Inzunza Noriega, known as “Sagitario” or “El Señor de la Silla,” identified as second in command to “Chapo Isidro”; and María del Rosario Navarro Sánchez, known as “La Señora,” who is linked to the CJNG.

In August, U.S. authorities took custody of 26 individuals transferred from Mexico who were accused of crimes including drug trafficking, kidnapping, murder and human smuggling. U.S. officials said the group included leaders and operatives from major cartels designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

That extradition followed a February transfer of 29 cartel figures, including Rafael Caro Quintero, accused of orchestrating the 1985 murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena.