Less than 48 hours before hefty tariffs on Mexican imports were set to take effect, Mexico took an unprecedented step. Delivering on what some analysts are calling a “show of compliance,” Mexican authorities handed over 29 notorious cartel figures, including one of the FBI’s most wanted, Rafael Caro Quintero, to the United States. The authorities executed this large-scale drug lord handover, making it the most significant in years and potentially marking a pivotal moment in US-Mexico relations.

But why now, and who are the key figures involved? Here’s what we know so far.

Mexico’s Largest Handover in Years

On Thursday, authorities extradited 29 imprisoned cartel members from an airport north of Mexico City to various locations across the United States. The Mexican attorney general’s office described the move as an act of bilateral cooperation, emphasizing that the operation respected the sovereignty of both nations.

The US Department of Justice confirmed the transfer and listed the federal courts where officials will charge the extradited individuals with racketeering, drug trafficking, murder, money laundering, and illegal firearms use.

Although officials have not clarified the logistics of the handover, the timing and scale of the operation have raised significant questions.. From 2019 to 2023, Mexico extradited an average of 65 people to the US. However, this singular act transferred nearly half that average in one day, reflecting an unusual urgency.

Who Are the Drug Lords Handed Over?

The roster of those extradited highlights both legendary names from past decades and powerful figures implicated in contemporary fentanyl trafficking. Here are some notable individuals included in this Mexico hands over drug lords operation.

Rafael Caro Quintero

Once one of the most powerful drug lords in Latin America, Rafael Caro Quintero co-founded the infamous Guadalajara Cartel. His cartel was responsible for shipping vast quantities of marijuana to the US in the 1980s and working closely with Colombian drug baron Pablo Escobar.

Authorities convicted Quintero of the brutal 1985 murder of US DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. Although officials released him in 2013 after overturning his conviction, he returned to the drug trade and evaded US authorities for years. His rearrest in Mexico in 2022 by the Mexican navy signalled his imminent extradition.

At 72, Quintero now undergoes court proceedings in New York, with authorities preparing to try him in Brooklyn.

Trevino Brothers

Authorities also extradited two key figures from the now-defunct Los Zetas cartel, Miguel Angel Trevino Morales (known as Z-40) and Omar Trevino Morales (Z-42). Officials had charged Miguel and Omar years earlier with crimes ranging from drug trafficking to organized violence.

Despite their arrest in 2013 and 2015, reports suggest that both brothers continued to manipulate operations for their splinter group, the Northeast Cartel, from behind bars.

Antonio Cervantes and Jose Angel Canobbio

Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, leader of the potent Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was one of the high-profile figures in this handover. US authorities consider his cartel a major conduit for the trafficking of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid fuelling a severe crisis in the US.

Another prominent figure, Jose Angel “El Guerito” Canobbio of the Sinaloa Cartel, was also among those transferred. Both cartels are primary targets of US efforts to curb drug imports from Mexico.

The Role of US Tariffs in the Handover

The timing of this operation is difficult to ignore. Just days before the handover, US President Donald Trump announced a forthcoming 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada. The tariffs, set to take effect on Tuesday, have been justified partly as leverage to pressure Mexico into addressing drug trafficking issues.

Trump has long criticised Mexico’s inability to control cartels, branding them as “quasi-government organisations.” He attributes the influx of fentanyl into the US to these groups and their expansive operations.

On January 20, just after taking office, Trump took an even tougher stance by designating international drug cartels as “terrorist organisations.” This designation escalated legal measures against cartels and lumped them alongside other global extremist groups.

While Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum has committed to cooperative measures with the US, she has also defended Mexico’s sovereignty, rejecting any notion of US-led enforcement on her country’s soil.

Why This Moment Matters

Analysts point out that this drug lord handover to the US may be the result of significant diplomatic manoeuvring. Vanessa Rubio-Marquez, a fellow at Chatham House, indicates that the fast-tracked extraditions likely tie back to tariff threats. The operation appears to serve dual purposes. It demonstrates Mexico’s willingness to cooperate on sensitive issues while also addressing growing international concerns regarding drug trafficking.

By extraditing high-level cartel members, Mexico aligns itself with US priorities, potentially staving off economic consequences and securing a strengthened bilateral relationship.

Source: Aljazeera