Mexico has discreetly transferred nearly 100 suspected cartel traffickers to the United States to face prosecution — a sweeping move driven by President Trump’s hardline stance on organized crime and his decision to formally designate Mexico’s powerful cartels as foreign terrorist organizations last year, the New York Post reports. The unprecedented campaign, pushed forcefully by the Trump administration, has compelled Mexico to intensify its cooperation with U.S. authorities after years of limited extraditions.
The mass extraditions underscore a new era of U.S.-Mexico cooperation against organized crime. According to the Justice Department, 92 defendants have been flown into the U.S. since last February in three separate operations coordinated with the Mexican military. Many of those extradited had long been sought by U.S. authorities, with requests that went unanswered during the Biden administration.
Attorney General Pam Bondi called the handovers “a landmark achievement” in the Trump administration’s pledge to dismantle the cartels. “President Trump has made clear that these are terrorist organizations,” Bondi said. “This Department of Justice will pursue them relentlessly — in honor of the men and women who have given their lives protecting innocent people from cartel violence.”
Among those extradited is Antonio “Tony Montana” Oseguera Cervantes, the brother of notorious cartel leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). “El Mencho,” one of the world’s most wanted drug lords, was killed Sunday during a military raid in Mexico. His brother, accused of overseeing CJNG’s cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking network, was among the first suspects delivered to U.S. custody last year.
The extradited suspects represent key figures from several major organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel, the CJNG, and smaller transnational crime groups. Charges range from drug and human trafficking to murder, racketeering, and money laundering. The defendants will be tried across 13 states and the District of Columbia, the DOJ confirmed. Most face decades , or life, in American prisons before possible deportation.
In August, two prominent Sinaloa operatives — Kevin Gil Acosta and Martin Zazueta Perez — were included in one of the largest roundups to date, according to The Post. Both men allegedly oversaw armed units known as sicarios within the Chapitos faction, loyal to the sons of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán. Their security teams were equipped with M16s, AK-47s, AR-15s, and grenade launchers and have been linked to attacks against Mexican military forces.
Another high-profile handover occurred in January, when Mexican authorities turned over Sinaloa cartel leader Pedro Inzunza Noriega and his son, Pedro Inzunza Coronel. Prosecutors describe them as masterminds of a vast fentanyl network responsible for moving tens of thousands of kilograms of the potent drug into the United States — one of the largest operations ever documented.
The U.S. Marshals Service, which manages cross-border prisoner transfers, praised the administration’s approach. USMS Director Gadyaces S. Serralta said, “Leadership like President Trump’s and Attorney General Bondi’s to work diligently to bring all of these wanted criminals back to the United States reinforces their commitment to getting justice for their victims.”
“This sends a very clear message; justice does not stop at borders,” he added.
Justice Department officials said Mexico’s decision to act came after Washington signaled it would intensify efforts to treat cartel threats as terrorism cases.
Attorney General Pam Bondi commented that these individuals, “including terrorists from the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, and others – will now pay for their crimes against the American people on American soil.”