El Chapo’s son extradited to the United States on drug trafficking charges | United States | News

El Chapo’s son, Ovidio Guzman Lopez, has been extradited from Mexico to the United States for allegedly taking his father’s place as head of a feared Mexican drug cartel.

CNN reports that the younger Guzman was brought to the United States at the direction of the Department of Justice, led by Merrick Garland.

Guzman’s extradition was “the result of law enforcement cooperation between the United States and Mexico,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement calling Guzman “the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel “.

“This action is the latest step in the Justice Department’s efforts to attack all aspects of the cartel’s operations,” he said, according to the outlet.

Guzman arrived in Chicago from Mexico, according to a Justice Department official.

El Chapo’s son is expected to be brought to court on Monday, September 18.

Guzman was first arrested after a courageous operation by U.S. military personnel, but the operation was not without bloodshed.

Nearly 30 people died – including 10 military personnel – while trying to arrest young Guzman, but fortunately no civilian casualties were reported at the time of the extraction.

Guzman’s extradition follows the release from prison of El Chapo’s wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, after serving a two-year sentence for trafficking and money laundering charges.

According to the charges against Guzman, he and another brother inherited his father’s vast property, although acquired illegally, and “began investing large sums of money in purchasing marijuana in Mexico and cocaine in Colombia,” while keeping their hands in the meth game.

“Fighting the cartels required incredible courage from U.S. and Mexican law enforcement and military personnel, many of whom gave their lives to achieve justice,” Garland said in a statement, according to the outlet.

“I am grateful to them and the department’s prosecutors for their work and sacrifice.” I am also grateful to our counterparts in the Mexican government for this extradition. The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable those who fueled the opioid epidemic that has devastated too many communities across the country.