On Saturday, the Mexican government extradited Nestor Isidro Perez Salas to the United States to face a range of serious charges. These charges include murder, drug importation, kidnapping, firearms, and money laundering.
The Department of Justice made a significant announcement on Tuesday, revealing the extradition and indictment of Salas, a 32-year-old individual known as “El Nini.” Salas is believed to be the leader of the infamous Sinaloa cartel and its primary assassin, according to the DOJ.
Salas stands accused of taking the life of a Drug Enforcement Administration informant, as well as other individuals, in what is believed to be an act of retaliation for the informant’s cooperation with the DEA.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has accused El Nini of being involved in the production and sale of fentanyl, including to the United States, as part of the Sinaloa cartel.
After the Department of Justice (DOJ) obtained federal indictments in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and in the Southern District of New York, the Mexican government agreed to extradite Salas.
Salas is facing multiple charges in the Washington, D.C., federal court. These include the importation of cocaine and methamphetamine, firearms violations, and conspiracy to obstruct justice through murder.
In the Southern District of New York federal court, he is facing charges of continuing a criminal enterprise that led to the deaths of several victims, including a DEA informant.
The New York federal court indictment has also accused Salas of importing and trafficking fentanyl. Furthermore, he is charged with obstructing justice by committing the murder of an informant. In addition to these charges, Salas is accused of kidnapping, which tragically resulted in the deaths of eight individuals, including a minor. The indictment also includes charges of firearms violations and money laundering against him.
Salas was apprehended by Mexican authorities in Culiacan, Mexico, on November 22. He faced charges in the Southern District of New York federal court, which were filed on Tuesday morning.
The Sinaloa cartel, identified by the DOJ as one of Mexico’s most powerful drug cartels, bears responsibility for a substantial portion of the fentanyl produced in Mexico and subsequently trafficked into the United States.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is responsible for the highest number of deaths among Americans aged 18 to 49. It is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) states that Salas holds a senior position within the security apparatus of the Sinaloa cartel. It is alleged that this organization employs widespread violence to safeguard its operations, seize disputed territories, eliminate uncooperative businesses, instill fear in civilians, and even target law enforcement officials for assassination.
