Suspected murderer for Sinaloa drug cartel often called “El Nini” extradited to U.S.

A suspected prime murderer in Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel was extradited Saturday to the USA, the place he’ll face costs linked to drug and weapons smuggling, the Justice Division introduced.

Nestor Isidro Perez Salas, often called “El Nini,” was one of many Sinaloa Cartel’s “lead sicarios, or assassins, and was answerable for the homicide, torture and kidnapping of rivals and witnesses who threatened the cartel’s felony drug trafficking enterprise,” Legal professional Normal Merrick Garland stated in a press release after the extradition Saturday morning.

“We additionally allege El Nini was part of the Sinaloa Cartel’s manufacturing and sale of fentanyl, together with in the USA,” Garland stated.

The U.S. had provided as much as $3 million for info resulting in the arrest of Perez Salas, who faces costs of conspiracy to visitors fentanyl, cocaine and weapons, amongst others.

He’s considered an in depth affiliate of the sons of Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who’s serving a life sentence within the U.S.

He was arrested within the northwest Mexican metropolis of Culiacan in November 2023, lower than per week after President Biden and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pledged to coordinate extra intently on preventing drug trafficking, particularly that of the highly effective artificial drug fentanyl.

“El Nini performed a outstanding function within the infamous Sinaloa Cartel, one of many deadliest drug trafficking enterprises on the planet,” Mr. Biden stated in a press release Saturday. “The US has charged him for his function in illicit fentanyl trafficking and for murdering, torturing, and kidnapping quite a few rivals, witnesses, and others. It is a good day for justice.”

On the time of his arrest, Mike Vigil, former head of worldwide operations for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, described Perez Salas to the Related Press as “a whole psychopath,” including that “taking him out of fee is an efficient factor for Mexico.”  

The U.S. noticed greater than 107,000 drug overdose deaths in 2023, in keeping with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. Fentanyl accounted for about 70 p.c of them.

The U.S. authorities says fentanyl is commonly made out of merchandise sourced in China, after which is smuggled throughout the border from Mexico by drug traffickers, particularly the Sinaloa cartel.