Mexico extradites key member of Sinaloa drug cartel to USA
Mexico has handed over a influential member of the powerful Sinaloa Drug Cartel to the USA. Sergio Miguel Vega Mendoza was arrested in Mexico City last year and is wanted by a US Federal Court on suspicion of drug trafficking, according to the prosecutor's office. Vega Mendoza reportedly coordinated and oversaw extensive drug deliveries to the United States.
According to Mexican media, he is a close collaborator of Iván Archivaldo Guzmán Salazar, the eldest son of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, who is serving life imprisonment in the USA.
Since "El Chapo" was arrested and extradited to the USA in 2016, his sons have taken over the leadership of the cartel. One of his sons, Ovidio Guzmán, was handed over to the US authorities in September last year. Three of his brothers, including Ivan Archivaldo, are wanted by the USA on drug charges.
Following his arrest in Mexico City, Sergio Miguel Vega Mendoza, a prominent member of the Sinaloa Drug Cartel, was transferred to the USA for trial on drug trafficking charges. His alleged activities included overseeing extensive drug shipments to the USA.
Guzmán Salazar, a close associate of Vega Mendoza, is the eldest son of Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, the imprisoned former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, and is currently wanted in the USA for his involvement in drug trafficking related to the cartel.
As the leadership of the Sinaloa Cartel has shifted since "El Chapo"'s arrest and extradition in 2016, various family members have been targeted by US authorities for their roles in the organization's drug trafficking operations.
