Mexico arrested the nephew of former cartel drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman during a security operation on Tuesday.
Mexican official Omar Hamid Garcia Harfuch identified the suspect as Isai “N,” who was captured by the Mexican military in Nogales, Sonora, near the U.S.-Mexico border. Harfuch said the man has an extradition order.
Isai “N” is wanted in the United States on drug trafficking charges. He is expected to undergo extradition proceedings in Mexico before he’s transferred to U.S. custody.
While little is known about the nephew at this time, El Chapo is notorious for leading the Sinaloa Cartel and smuggling drugs into the United States. He is believed to be responsible for as many as 34,000 deaths due to the violence he orchestrated as a cartel kingpin.
El Chapo was captured for the third and final time in 2016. Initially imprisoned in Mexico, he was extradited to the U.S. a year later. The drug lord is serving a life sentence plus 30 years on drug trafficking and money laundering charges at a supermax prison in Colorado.
Recent court records reveal El Chapo asked a U.S. court to transfer him back to Mexico, citing his “cruel punishment.” The federal prison in which he’s incarcerated is informally known as the “Alcatraz of the Rockies.”
In addition to the nephew’s capture, Mexican officials said more than 1,500 pounds of cocaine, 151 firearms, 363 magazines, and 18 grenades were seized at a property in Tapachula, Chiapas. The city is located near Mexico’s southernmost border with Guatemala.
“These actions reflect the permanent coordination of the Mexican State to apprehend priority targets and weaken the operational capabilities of criminal groups,” Harfuch said.
The Mexican government, led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, is actively targeting drug cartels in cooperation with the U.S. Though there are some points of diplomatic friction, the two nations maintain a security relationship defined by intelligence sharing and extradition.
Last month, the Mexican military captured three associates of El Chapo’s wanted brother in an operation backed by U.S. intelligence.
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Meanwhile, the U.S. indicted 10 current and former Mexican officials accused of helping the Sinaloa Cartel smuggle drugs into the U.S. and other criminal offenses in exchange for political support and bribes. At the top of the list was former Sinaloa Gov. Ruben Rocha Moya, who stepped down after the charges were brought.
The U.S. is seeking to extradite these officials, but Mexico has not yet granted the request. After the charges were announced last month, Sheinbaum demanded that U.S. prosecutors present evidence before her government hands over the defendants.