Mexico extradites 26 cartel members to the United States in major anti-drug operation
Mexico announced on Tuesday that it has extradited 26 individuals to the United States accused of drug trafficking, human smuggling, and murder. This marks the second large-scale transfer of its kind since Donald Trump returned to the White House.
According to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico, among those extradited were leaders from the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the Sinaloa Cartel—both designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. in February.
The handover took place at the request of the U.S. Department of Justice, which pledged not to seek the death penalty. Notable figures among the extradited include Abigael Gonzalez Valencia, head of the Los Cuinis cartel, accused of transporting tons of cocaine from South America to the U.S., and Leobardo Garcia Corrales, a Sinaloa Cartel member charged with trafficking fentanyl in exchange for weapons. Also included was Abdul Karim Conteh, a Sierra Leone national accused of smuggling thousands of migrants from countries such as Iran, Afghanistan, and Somalia into the U.S. through Mexico.
Under pressure from President Trump—who has threatened steep tariffs—Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government has intensified security cooperation with Washington. The two nations are currently negotiating a comprehensive agreement targeting drug and arms trafficking. In February, Mexico had already extradited 29 cartel members to U.S. authorities.
Some of Mexico’s most notorious drug lords remain in U.S. custody, including Sinaloa Cartel founders Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, serving a life sentence, and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, awaiting trial.
