U.S. authorities receive 26 cartel members from Mexican authorities, as part of an agreement with the Trump administration
A high-profile drug trafficking figure, Abigael González Valencia, also known as "El Cuini," has been transferred to US custody following a promise from the US Justice Department that they would not seek the death penalty in any of the cases. This is the second time in months that Mexico has expelled cartel figures accused of narcotics smuggling, murder, and other crimes.
According to reports, Abigael González Valencia, a leader of the CJNG-affiliated group Los Cuinis, was arrested in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco in February 2015 and has been fighting extradition to the United States since then. He is among the 26 high-ranking cartel figures handed over to US authorities.
CJNG, known for extreme violence, murders, torture, and corruption, is one of the most powerful and dangerous cartels in Mexico. They are responsible for trafficking hundreds of tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States and other countries. Abigael González Valencia is the brother-in-law of Nemesio Rubén "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, the leader of CJNG.
Alongside his two brothers, Abigael González Valencia led Los Cuinis, a financial arm of the CJNG. In February 2021, another brother, Jose González Valencia, was sentenced in Washington's federal court to 30 years in a US prison after pleading guilty to international cocaine trafficking.
The transfers of Abigael González Valencia and other cartel leaders came days before 25% tariffs on Mexican imports were to take effect. The Trump administration had designated CJNG and seven other Latin American organized crime groups as foreign terrorist organizations.
Roberto Salazar, accused of participating in the 2008 killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy, is also being expelled. However, there is no detailed information in the search results about Roberto Salazar or his specific charges as related to this case or cartel activity.
The Mexican Attorney General's Office and Security ministry have confirmed the transfers of the cartel leaders and other prominent figures, who were being flown from Mexico to the US on Tuesday. The latest transfers mark a significant blow to the CJNG and their operations, potentially disrupting their illicit activities and causing a ripple effect throughout the cartel's network.
[1] "Abigael González Valencia." Insight Crime.https://www.insightcrime.org/news/brief/abigael-gonzalez-valencia/
[3] "Mexico hands over 26 high-profile drug-related criminals to US." Reuters.https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/mexico-hands-over-26-high-profile-drug-related-criminals-us-2021-06-08/
- The latest transfers of Abigael González Valencia, a prominent figure in the CJNG cartel, and other high-ranking criminals from Mexico to the US has been met with global interest, as it marks a significant blow to the world's most powerful and dangerous cartels involved in general-news, crime-and-justice, and politics, with the CJNG being responsible for trafficking drugs into the Americas.
- As the US justice system continues to target and prosecute cartel leaders, a wave of general-news stories covering the extradition of cartel figures like Roberto Salazar, who are accused of crimes such as murder and crime-and-justice activities, will likely dominate headlines, impacting politics across the Americas.
