Former Gulf Cartel leader Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, 57, has been deported to Mexico following the completion of a 14-year portion of his 25-year US prison sentence. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed his transfer to Mexican authorities on Monday, stating the handover occurred without incident. Cárdenas Guillén is now in custody at Mexico's high-security Altiplano prison, facing charges related to drug trafficking, organized crime, and money laundering, according to a Mexican official.
Cárdenas Guillén, also known as "El Mata Amigos" ("The Friend Killer"), gained notoriety for his ruthless leadership of the Gulf Cartel, overseeing the movement of large quantities of cocaine and amassing significant wealth. His influence extended to the formation of the Zetas, a notoriously violent group responsible for numerous atrocities in Mexico.
Apprehended in 2003, Cárdenas Guillén was extradited to the US in 2007. In 2010, he received a 25-year sentence and a $50 million forfeiture order for threatening federal agents, among other charges. While ICE indicated he was wanted in Mexico for homicide and illegal firearm possession, his return marks a significant development in Mexico's ongoing fight against organized crime.
