72-year-old Rafael Caro Quintero has been one of America’s most wanted men since 1985, and he’s finally been arrested and officially charged with several crimes in relation to heading up the Guadalajara cartel “Narco of Narcos”. On February 28th, 2025, he was brought to a federal courthouse in Brooklyn for an initial hearing, where he pleaded not guilty.

Before Quintero’s arraignment, the White House put out a statement regarding his arrest. Reports show that Quintero has been sought out after allegedly orchestrating the slaying of a U.S. federal agent back in 1985. In the statement, the White House called the suspect one of the “most evil cartel bosses in the world.”

Quintero wasn’t the only person who was at the hearing facing murder charges. 62-year-old Vicente Carrillo Fuentes also pleaded not guilty to being involved in the death of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. Both suspects are believed to have arranged many more killings and kidnappings throughout Mexico and possibly the United States as well.

Prosecutors believe that Quintero blamed Camarena for a raid pulled off by authorities on one of the gang leader’s marijuana plantations. In an act of revenge, Quintero ordered his gang to target and kidnap the agent. Once the gang pulled off the kidnapping, they reportedly tortured and killed Camarena.

Since that time, American officials have sought the extradition of Quintero. Now, as a result of President Trump’s negotiations, Quintero, Fuentes, and at least 27 other Mexican prisoners were transported to the U.S. Mexican officials agreed to extradite the various prisoners in exchange for a delay in the 25% tariffs threatened by the Trump administration. Members of Mexico’s Security Cabinet made a statement regarding the prisoner transfer and said that it was a national security decision.

Quintero, one of the prisoners extradited to the U.S. was 28 years into a 40-year sentence in Mexico when an appeals court overturned his sentence in 2013. Since that time, Quintero has been free to continue his criminal operations. Authorities are sure he returned to drug trafficking and violence on the street until he was rearrested in 2022. In 2018, Quintero was added to the FBI’s 10 most wanted list with a $20 million reward. Once he was apprehended by Mexican authorities in 2022, the U.S. immediately sought his extradition.

Fuentes, another extradited prisoner, was also known as a violent drug lord who was arrested in 2014 and sentenced to serve out 28 years in prison in Mexico in 2021.

How Extradition Works

Have you ever been accused of committing a crime in another country? If so, then it’s possible for that country to request an extradition, which is an official transfer of an accused person from one country to another.

If your country has an extradition treaty with the other country, then there’s a great chance of cooperation. To ensure that you receive fair treatment under the law and your rights are respected, it’s best to consult with an attorney about your options.

Schedule a case review with our team of international lawyers now to get a free evaluation of your situation.