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By Dan Gooding
Associate News Editor
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What's New
U.S. officials have extradited a former Gulf Cartel leader to Mexico, where he is wanted on murder and firearm charges.
Osiel Cardenas Guillen, 57, was serving a 25-year sentence in a U.S. maximum security prison before he was handed over to immigration enforcement officers in August.
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Why It Matters
A member of Los Zetas, a notorious gang of hit men, Cardenas Guillen was known for overseeing some of the bloodiest cartel violence in Mexico and was caught multiple times by both U.S. and Mexican authorities for drug-trafficking-related offenses.
The Gulf Cartel and its militia group, Los Zetas—collectively known as "The Company"—sought to dominate drug trafficking and eliminate other cartels, led in part by Cardenas Guillen.
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What To Know
Cardenas Guillen's first run-in with U.S. officials was in August 1992, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, when he crossed into Brownsville, Texas, and was arrested for possessing with intent to distribute about 2 kilograms of cocaine.
In early 1993, a U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas convicted Cardenas Guillen and sentenced him to 64 months in prison. Later that year, he was sent back to Mexico, but he continued to plague the U.S. over the years, with accusations of assaults on federal officers, money laundering, and drug possession and distribution.
After a shoot-out with Mexican authorities in 2003, Cardenas Guillen, whose brothers were also involved in the Gulf Cartel, was jailed before his extradition to the U.S. in 2007. He was sentenced to 25 years in USP Terre Haute, a federal prison in Indiana, over the aforementioned offenses.
In July, U.S. officials in Mexico City notified ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Chicago of active arrest warrants out for Cardenas Guillen.
On his release in August, a final removal order was issued, and on Monday, Cardenas Guillen was handed over to Mexican authorities at the San Diego port of entry.
What People Are Saying
ERO Chicago Field Office Director Samuel Olson said in a statement: "The successful removal of Osiel Cardenas, a notorious international fugitive, underscores our unwavering commitment to public safety and justice … By returning this dangerous individual to Mexico, where he faces serious charges, we have taken a significant step in safeguarding our communities and upholding the rule of law."
Mexican authorities said in a joint statement: "Currently, the FGR has three arrest warrants pending against Osiel 'N,' for the crimes of aggravated homicide, organized crime and against health … For these crimes, it is estimated that Osiel 'N' will reach an approximate sentence of up to 730 years in prison for the outstanding arrest warrants, plus the penalties that result from the processes that will be reactivated."
What Happens Next
Cardenas Guillen was flown to Mexico City, where he is being held in a federal prison. Mexican officials said his prosecution could now continue.
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