In a significant development, Mexico has extradited 29 suspected members of drug cartels to the United States, including several prominent gang leaders.

Among those extradited is the infamous Rafael Caro Quintero, who has been wanted in the U.S. for the murder of an American agent that occurred four decades ago.

This operation, one of the largest of its kind in Mexican history, marks a crucial advancement in the cooperative security efforts between the two nations.

The extraditions follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s earlier threats to impose tariffs on Mexican imports, citing the country’s insufficient actions against drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

“As President Trump has indicated, cartels operate as terrorist organizations, and the Department of Justice is firmly committed to dismantling these cartels and their transnational operations,” stated U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday night.

“We will pursue these criminals to the fullest extent of the law to honor the dedication of law enforcement agents who have devoted their lives to safeguarding innocent civilians from the threat posed by violent cartels,” she emphasized.

In response to Caro Quintero’s extradition, DEA Acting Administrator Derek Maltz celebrated the decision as a significant win for the Camarena family.

He remarked, “This day sends a powerful warning to every cartel leader, trafficker, and criminal ruining our communities: accountability is inevitable.”

“Justice will pursue you, no matter the distance or duration,” he added.

Quintero is set to appear in a New York court on Friday.

Among the other high-profile fugitives extradited were the founders of the notorious Zetas Cartel, Miguel Angel Treviño and his brother Omar Treviño.

Known as Z-40 and Z-42 respectively, these siblings led the malevolent organization for many years until its eventual decline in the mid-2010s.

Miguel Treviño, who was arrested by Mexican marines in July 2013, faced charges on both sides of the border for orchestrating massacres and overseeing large-scale drug operations.

Omar Treviño, also a fugitive wanted in both countries for drug-related offenses, kidnapping, and murder, was captured by security forces in Monterrey in March 2015.

The criminal enterprises run by the brothers extended to various illicit activities, including cocaine trafficking, human smuggling, extortion, arms dealing, and abductions.

Authorities in Webb County, Texas, confirmed the extradition of the Treviño brothers and cautioned Americans against crossing into Mexico due to potential retaliatory actions.