Mexico extradites reputed drug lord Arellano Felix

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The reputed leader of one of Mexico's most violent drug cartels was extradited to the United States on Friday to face drug-trafficking charges, the Mexican Attorney General's Office announced.

Mexican prosecutors announced Benjamin Arellano Felix's extradition to the U.S. on Friday.

Benjamin Arellano Felix is one of the highest-profile cartel members extradited under the administration of President Felipe Calderon.

Arellano Felix, along with at least three brothers, led the Tijuana cartel from the 1980s until his arrest in central Mexico in 2002. He faced drug-trafficking charges both in Mexico and the U.S., and in 2003, he and his brothers were indicted in San Diego, California, across the border from Tijuana. In 2007, Mexico accepted the U.S. request to extradite him.

Mexican federal agents handed Arellano Felix over to U.S. Marshals at an airport on the outskirts of Mexico City on Friday, the Attorney General's Office said in a statement.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has called the Tijuana cartel, which smuggles cocaine and marijuana into the U.S. from northwestern Mexico, one of the largest, most violent criminal organizations in the country. The cartel was featured in the 2001 movie "Traffic." Mexican authorities said Benjamin Arellano Felix was the brains behind the operation.

The cartel has been weakened by the rival Sinaloa drug gang in recent years, however.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to letters@usatoday.com. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.We've updated the Conversation Guidelines. Changes include a brief review of the moderation process and an explanation on how to use the "Report Abuse" button. Read more.

USATODAY.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.