Mexico Extradites 26 Cartel Figures to U.S. in Trump-Era Deal

• Aug 13, 2025

Mexico has handed over 26 senior cartel members to the United States in a major security cooperation deal with the Trump administration, marking another significant step in joint efforts to dismantle powerful drug trafficking networks. The transfer, carried out Tuesday, targeted individuals linked to some of Mexico’s most violent and notorious criminal organizations.

Among those extradited is Abigael González Valencia, leader of “Los Cuinis,” a financial arm of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). González Valencia, the brother-in-law of CJNG leader Nemesio Rubén “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes, had been in Mexican custody since 2015, fighting extradition. Also sent to U.S. custody is Roberto Salazar, wanted for the 2008 killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, and Servando “La Tuta” Gómez Martínez, the former head of the Knights Templar cartel.

The extradition comes months after the Trump administration designated CJNG, the Sinaloa Cartel, and six other groups as foreign terrorist organizations. In exchange for the transfers, the U.S. Justice Department agreed not to seek the death penalty against any of the defendants.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi hailed the move, saying the men “brought violence and drugs to American shores” and would now face “severe consequences” in U.S. courts. U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson added that the cooperation between the two governments showed what was possible “when two nations stand united against violence and impunity.”

This is the second large-scale transfer in recent months. In February, 29 cartel figures — including veteran drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero — were extradited to the U.S. The earlier deal was struck as Mexican officials sought to avoid Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on Mexican imports.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has taken a more aggressive approach to cartel crackdowns than her predecessor, but she has firmly rejected any U.S. military intervention, insisting there will be “no invasion of Mexico.”

The latest group of extradited figures includes leaders from CJNG, the Sinaloa Cartel, and other major networks accused of trafficking cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the United States. CJNG, in particular, is notorious for extreme violence, large-scale drug smuggling, and corruption.

U.S. authorities say the extraditions send a clear signal that cartel leaders will face justice, and both nations are committed to tackling organized crime at its highest levels.