Replies

DEA Planning for Early 2024 Extradition of Rafael Caro Quintero

https://www.reforma.com/espera-dea-extradicion-de-caro-quintero-en-2024/ar2645773

Translated excerpt:

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) expects the extradition of Rafael Caro Quintero from Mexico to occur in early 2024. Caro Quintero is wanted in the US for the 1985 murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena.

DEA official George Papadopoulo told Grupo Reforma that the US government does not expect for the extradition to delay past 2024.

“Rafael Caro Quintero is currently awaiting extradition from Mexico. We hope that he will be extradited early next year so that he can face justice here in the United States,” Papadopoulos said.

The US has already formally requested the extradition of Caro Quintero for the murder of Camarena, in addition to drug trafficking and money laundering.

When Caro Quintero was rearrested on July 15, 2022 after being a fugitive since 2013, the US Attorney General, Merrick Garland, requested for the immediate extradition of Caro Quintero.

Between 2013 and 2022, the US government revealed to The Washington Post that there were at least 12 failed attempts to apprehend Caro Quintero.

A few days after Caro Quintero was captured, Garland called Mexican Attorney General Alejandro Gertz. The details of what they discussed was not disclosed to the public, but Grupo Reforma said that both Mexico and the US had agreed to “work in unison” to complete the extradition process.

Caro Quintero has issued dozens of motions to cancel his arrest warrants and to prevent his extradition to the US. In his latest attempt, his defense team sought to take his case up to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), Mexico’s highest federal court system.