Mexico Extradites 26 Alleged Cartel Members to US

Suspects face charges from drug trafficking and human smuggling to the killing of a U.S. sheriff’s deputy.

Mexican federal police escort a man identified as Servando "La Tuta" Gómez, leader of the Knights Templar Cartel, as he sits inside a helicopter at a Federal hangar in Mexico City, Mexico, on Feb. 27, 2015. Eduardo Verdugo/AP Photo

Mexico extradited 26 alleged cartel members to the United States on Aug. 12, including high-ranking members of violent cartels labeled as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.

Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said on X that the extradition was carried out at the request of the U.S. Justice Department, which provided assurances that it would not pursue the death penalty for those facing prosecution.