(NewsNation) — Two high-profile members of a drug cartel in Mexico will be arraigned in the United States on Friday, following a historic extradition of 29 cartel figures. This includes drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero, responsible for the 1985 killing of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena.
The extradition is happening as Mexican officials in Washington, D.C., are trying to head off the Trump administration’s threat of imposing 25% tariffs on all Mexican imports starting Tuesday.
It also follows pressure from the Trump administration, which has been urging Mexico to take stronger action against cartels.
A who’s who of Mexican cartels
Caro Quintero, a former leader of the Guadalajara cartel, had been on the DEA’s Most Wanted list for four decades. He arrived in New York on Thursday to face trial.
“This moment is extremely personal for the men and women of the DEA who believe Caro Quintero is responsible for the brutal torture and murder of DEA Special Agent Enrique ‘Kiki’ Camarena. It is also a victory for the Camarena family. Today sends a message to every cartel leader, every trafficker, every criminal poisoning our communities: You will be held accountable,” DEA Acting Administrator Derek S. Maltz wrote in a statement.
Also extradited was Antonio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “Tony Montana,” and other cartel figures —ranging from drug lords, security chiefs for cartels, and finance operatives — wanted for crimes including drug trafficking and homicide.
These figures are linked to five of Mexico’s six cartels, all designated as foreign terrorist organizations, including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, led by Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho.”
They were brought from prisons across Mexico to board planes at an airport north of Mexico City that took them to eight U.S. cities, according to the Mexican government.
Officials urge caution for cartel retaliation
Authorities are concerned about potential cartel violence in response to the extraditions, especially in areas like Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
Officials in Laredo, Texas, like Webb County Sheriff Martin Cuellar, have advised caution for those traveling to the region.
“Previous incidents have shown that the cartel tends to respond with extreme violence against Mexican government entities, which increases the risk for citizens in Nuevo Laredo,” Cuellar wrote in a Facebook post. “On February 3, 2025, the city of Nuevo Laredo saw a dramatic rise in violence, with gun battles erupting throughout the area. The Webb County Sheriff’s office is working to inform the public about the potential for violence in the region.”
Cuellar said local authorities are prepared to prevent violence from spilling over into the U.S.