Mexico extradites security chief for sons of former Sinaloa cartel leader El Chapo By Reuters

(Reuters) – Mexico on Saturday extradited to the United States Nestor Isidro Perez Salas, or “El Nini”, who headed security for the sons of former Sinaloa cartel leader Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the one of the most high-profile extraditions in recent years. .

Considered by U.S. counternarcotics agents to be one of Mexico's most ruthless drug figures, Perez was arrested in November by the Mexican National Guard in the northwestern city of Culiacan, Mexico. heart of the Sinaloa cartel.

“We allege that El Nini was one of the principal sicarios, or assassins, of the Sinaloa cartel, and that he was responsible for the murder, torture and kidnapping of rivals and witnesses who threatened the company criminal drug trafficking cartel,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. statement.

President Joe Biden thanked Mexico for its cooperation.

“Our governments will continue to work together to combat the fentanyl and synthetic drug epidemic that is killing so many people in our countries and around the world, and to bring to justice the criminals and organizations that produce, smuggle and sell these deadly poisons in both our countries,” Biden said in a statement.

The United States has accused Perez of leading the “Ninis,” a violent group of security personnel working for Ivan Archivaldo Guzman and other sons of imprisoned former Sinaloa kingpin El Chapo.

Ivan and three other sons of El Chapo have become among the most sought-after targets of U.S. law enforcement since they emerged from their father's shadow to lead a powerful faction of the Sinaloa cartel known as name of “Los Chapitos”. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says Los Chapitos are the largest fentanyl traffickers in the United States.

Pérez is one of the highest-profile extraditions under the presidency of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who came to power in December 2018.

DEA chief Anne Milgram sent an internal memo to agency staff praising the extradition.

Milgram, in the memo reviewed by Reuters, described Perez's Ninis group as a violent group that receives military-style training and is responsible for “kidnapping, torturing and killing anyone who opposes the Chapitos or anyone who Chapitos' fentanyl operation in danger.

US courts have indicted Perez on a range of charges related to his alleged role as head of the Chapitos security apparatus, including conspiracy to traffic cocaine and methamphetamine, possession of machine guns and retaliation against witnesses.