Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, the notorious leader of the Los Zetas cartel, has been re-arrested in Mexico within hours of being deported from the United States after completing a lengthy prison sentence.
Los Zetas Leader Osiel Cárdenas Guillén Captured Again Shortly After Deportation to Mexico
Los Zetas Leader Osiel Cárdenas Guillén Captured Again Shortly After Deportation to Mexico
Convicted drug lord faces numerous charges upon return to homeland
Following his deportation, Cárdenas Guillén was swiftly handed over to Mexican law enforcement at the Otay border crossing and taken into custody. The 57-year-old is accused of multiple serious crimes, including murder and organized crime, from his time leading one of Mexico's most dangerous drug syndicates.
Cárdenas first became embroiled in the criminal underworld while rising through the ranks of the Gulf cartel in the 1990s. Known for his ruthless consolidation of power, which included the execution of former allies, he earned the nickname "Mata Amigos" or "killer of friends." His recruitment of former elite special forces members ultimately formed the Los Zetas, known for their shockingly brutal tactics, which increased violence in northeastern Mexico.
In 2003, the Mexican military captured Cárdenas after a fierce gunfight in Tamaulipas, and he was swiftly airlifted to federal custody. In 2007, after his extradition to the U.S., he was sentenced to 25 years for drug trafficking and threats against federal agents. Upon his return to Mexico, Cárdenas faces seven ongoing federal cases that could see him sentenced to over 700 years in prison if convicted. The country grapples with heightened cartel violence, highlighted by recent high-profile news, such as a Mexican judge's assassination and rising disappearances linked to cartel conflicts.
Cárdenas first became embroiled in the criminal underworld while rising through the ranks of the Gulf cartel in the 1990s. Known for his ruthless consolidation of power, which included the execution of former allies, he earned the nickname "Mata Amigos" or "killer of friends." His recruitment of former elite special forces members ultimately formed the Los Zetas, known for their shockingly brutal tactics, which increased violence in northeastern Mexico.
In 2003, the Mexican military captured Cárdenas after a fierce gunfight in Tamaulipas, and he was swiftly airlifted to federal custody. In 2007, after his extradition to the U.S., he was sentenced to 25 years for drug trafficking and threats against federal agents. Upon his return to Mexico, Cárdenas faces seven ongoing federal cases that could see him sentenced to over 700 years in prison if convicted. The country grapples with heightened cartel violence, highlighted by recent high-profile news, such as a Mexican judge's assassination and rising disappearances linked to cartel conflicts.
