U.S. extradites nephew of drug trafficker Rafael Caro Quintero to New York

The Mexican government extradited drug trafficker Ismael Quintero Arellanes, nephew and bodyguard of drug lord Rafael Caro Quintero the U.S. to face drug trafficking charges.

Quintero Arellanes, 51, the nephew of Caro Quintero and better known by his alias Fierro, was arrested in Mexico at the request of U.S. authorities.

He has been accused of conspiring to distribute drugs and firearms on a large scale. 

"The defendant was a senior lieutenant and head of security for Rafael Caro Quintero, a notorious drug lord whose violent organization shipped thousands of kilos of drugs into the United States over decades," Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement.

"Quintero Arellanes was the executor of the drug empire of Rafael Caro Quintero (RCQ), responsible for the distribution of drugs, violence and death in Mexico and the United States," Drug Enforcement Agency ( DEA) Special Agent Frank Tarentino.

#FGR, entregó en extradición a #EUA, a Ismael “Q”, requerido por asociación delictuosa, contra la salud y portación ilegal de armas. Responsable de la logística en el tráfico de droga, y de la seguridad de otro integrante de la misma banda delictiva.

▶️https://t.co/wSqEAPmhgW pic.twitter.com/Mf41Zwc7fT

— FGR México (@FGRMexico) March 2, 2023

According to the indictment, Quintero Arellanes participated in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, methamphetamine and cocaine between Feb. 2015 and June 2018.

U.S. officials said he has also been distributing large quantities of marijuana since 1980.

"This extradition marks another victory for the rule of law by bringing to justice drug traffickers who have wrought enormous harm in our communities," Tarentino said.

Caro Quintero employed numerous people, each of whom played a role in ensuring the success of the organization, including hit men who carried out acts of violence in Mexico, such as murders and kidnappings to silence potential witnesses, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY).

The prosecution of Quintero Arellanes is the result of an ongoing investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) led by the EDNY U.S. Attorney and DEA.

The extradition comes just days after Genaro García Luna, Mexico's former Secretary of Public Security, and architect of the war against drug trafficking was found guilty by a jury in a Brooklyn court of five charges.

Four charges were related to drug trafficking and one for falsification of documents. He currently faces 20 years to life in prison.