Mexico Extradites 29 Drug Kingpins to US

Mexico has extradited 29 high-profile drug cartel members to the United States in what authorities describe as one of the largest handovers in years.

The move comes as the country seeks to ease tensions with Washington and prevent the imposition of steep trade tariffs by the Trump administration.

The US Justice Department had requested the extraditions, which were confirmed in a joint statement by the Mexican Attorney General's Office and the security ministry.

Former US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) official Mike Vigil described the move as “historic,” noting that Mexico typically transfers only a few suspects at a time.

The announcement coincided with high-level diplomatic talks in Washington, where Mexican officials are lobbying against a proposed 25% tariff on all Mexican imports, set to take effect on March 4.

While the official statement did not disclose names, Mexican media reported that the extradited individuals include Rafael Caro Quintero, the notorious former leader of the Guadalajara cartel.

Quintero, once on the FBI's most-wanted list, was arrested in 2022 and is accused of orchestrating the 1985 kidnapping and murder of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena.

Also among those extradited were Omar and Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, former leaders of the notoriously violent Zetas cartel.

Their extradition marks a significant step in US-Mexico cooperation against transnational crime.