MEXICO: On Friday, the Mexican navy announced that it had successfully apprehended infamous drug kingpin Rafael Caro-Quintero, who was convicted in 1985 for the murder and torture of a US anti-narcotics agent.
As a co-founder of the Guadalajara Cartel, one of Latin America’s most potent drug trafficking networks in the 1980s, Caro-Quintero had gained notoriety, not merely as a drug trafficking mafia boss but also as a top fugitive on the FBI’s list.
As per the reports, US Attorney General Merrick Garland said he would seek Quintero’s immediate extradition. He added saying, “There is no hiding place who kidnaps, tortures and murders American law enforcement. We are deeply grateful to Mexican authorities for their capture and arrest of Rafael Caro-Quintero.”
According to the navy, a female bloodhound with military training called Max was able to sniff out the criminal from a pile of bushes. A Mexican official said the arrest in San Simon, Choix, happened due to the US’s pressure and strategically occurred the same week President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador met with US President Joe Biden in Washington.
The arrest is a win-win for both countries.
Before this recent arrest, Caro-Quintero denied any involvement in Camarena’s murder and was released by a Mexican judge in 2013 based on a technicality, insulting the previous administration. The FBI’s Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List lists him as returning to trafficking as part of the Sinaloa Cartel.
A record $20 million bounty has been placed on his head, and he lost his chance to stop his extradition to the US last year. Another Mexican official has assured him that he will be returned to Mexico as soon as possible.
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