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Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Mexican Court Approves US Extradition of Rafael Caro Quintero

"Morogris" for Borderland Beat

Former Guadalajara Cartel leader Rafael Caro Quintero (left) and US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar (right)

The long battle to extradite drug kingpin Rafael Caro Quintero is finally over, should he be arrested.

A Mexican tribunal court approved Caro Quintero for extradition after denying a motion he had issued to prevent Mexican authorities from sending him to the US. Caro Quintero's defense team argued that being extradited to the US meant he would face double jeopardy.

In Mexico, Caro Quintero was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the 1985 murder of US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent Enrique Camarena Salazar and the Mexican pilot Alfredo Zavala Avelar. In the US, Caro Quintero is also wanted for Camarena's murder, and the US government has publicly express over the years that he will be tried for his death should he be extradited. Caro Quintero argued that this was double jeopardy.

According to Article 15 of the Extradition Treaty between Mexico and the U.S., the Mexican government will not extradite a Mexican national unless multiple conditions are met. Among them include that the Mexican national does not face double jeopardy (i.e. being charged for Camarena's murder in Mexico and then in the US).

However, the tribunal court responded by denying Caro Quintero's motion and explained that although the US extradition request does contain the Camarena murder charge, it also includes other charges like drug trafficking and money laundering, which in itself makes the extradition request legitimate.

In addition, it is worth nothing that the murder charge Caro Quintero would face in the US is different than the one he was convicted for in Mexico. In Mexico, he was convicted of murder at the state-level with no aggravating factors.

But in the US, Caro Quintero is facing a federal violation of 18 U.S. Code § 115. This code covers a specific type of murder: whoever kills or attempts to kill any officer or employee of the United States. This aggravating factor in the murder charge was enough for the court to rule it is not double jeopardy.

Caro Quintero, the former leader of the Guadalajara Cartel, was freed from a Mexican state jail on a legal technicality in 2013, but an arrest warrant was issued by federal authorities a few months after his release. He is currently a fugitive and is believed to be in hiding in Mexico.

Sources: El Sol de Mexico; El Economista; El Financiero; LII; Borderland Beat analysis

23 comments:

  1. The saga continues to extradite on USA requests. Leaving all others to wreck havoc in Mexico & push poison to communities.

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  2. Now they have to catch him... good luck with that.

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    Replies
    1. Ask chapo how that “good luck with that” went for him .

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    2. @ 10:00 am. Ask Mayo how good luck with that went. Chapo was a dumbass that enjoyed the limelight.

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    3. 10:22
      Mayo has stated he lives in fear.

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    4. As long as Mayo stays in his rat hole in the mountains I guess he’s good.

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  3. Interesting how this whole case of double jeopardy unfolded. RQC had all the money in the world to keep paying lawyers. I’m glad this is finally settled. Good analysis on the murder charges BB. I think this will set a precedent for future extradition cases.

    - El Choclo

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    Replies
    1. Yah. More bullying from their scrupulous drug war policy neighbors next door.

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  4. Now the hunt will intensify and it'll be up to RCQ whether he does like MABL or submits himself like JAGL

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    1. im sure others may not know so...

      JAGL = El Chapo

      MABL = Arturo Beltran Leyva

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  5. why was his family removed from the kingpin act then? maybe Mexico pulled the strings?

    "Give his family some of the money back, and we will approve his extradition"

    Could be?

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    Replies
    1. There’s always more to what meets the eye, and if you can simply imagine “it”, then you can bet that “it” has happened — at least once — behind closed doors.

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    2. Well Sandra Avila Beltran isn’t super close family wise but she’s there. And years ago now they returned the money, jewelry, vehicles and property that was seized when she was arrested.

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  6. He def not in Mexico prob in Spain

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    Replies
    1. source? or just your gut-feeling?

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    2. Anda en sus terrenos donde conoce y lo cuida su gente y no creo que vivo se lo lleven de ahi

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    3. Jajaja he live in Guaymas Sonora like 5 years ago

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  7. They're going to catch RCQ one way or another, if the CIA/DEA/NSA want his ass on a silver platter they're going to get his ass on a silver platter. The CIA doesn't want instability especially in the area of Sinaloa and Sonora, and that's what RCQ has brought. Infighting and instability

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    Replies
    1. The CIA gives a shit about a his ass, stop listen to opioid guy on yt.

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  8. He’ll be incarcerated in Mexico by this time next year. Amparos filed that insures he dies in prison; in Mexico.

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  9. RCQ just approved his own extradition cause he knows he will never be caught. As the real ruler of Mexico, he has to appease the gringo fools..

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