Top Sinaloa Cartel Assassin Extradited to U.S. to Face Charges: Attorney General Garland

The notorious assassin for the Sinaloa drug cartel, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as “El Nini,” has been extradited to the U.S. to face a multitude of charges related to drug trafficking, gun crimes, and witness retaliation, the Justice Department announced on Saturday.

Pérez Salas, a key figure in providing security for the sons of the imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, was instrumental in their drug operations, particularly in exporting fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid, to the United States. Fentanyl has been responsible for approximately 70,000 overdose deaths annually in the U.S.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland described Pérez Salas as one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s top assassins, responsible for carrying out brutal acts of violence, including murder, torture, and kidnapping, to protect the cartel’s criminal drug enterprise.

President Joe Biden expressed gratitude to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for approving the extradition of Pérez Salas, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between the two countries in combating the drug epidemic and holding criminals accountable.

Nicknamed “El Nini,” which derives from a Mexican slang term, Pérez Salas was captured in Culiacan, Mexico, last November after being on the run. The DEA had offered a $3 million reward for his capture.

The indictment against Pérez Salas revealed the gruesome tactics employed by his security team, known as the Ninis, including military-style training in combat and participation in torturing a Mexican federal agent in 2017. The Ninis were notorious for carrying out violent acts, such as executing rivals and feeding them to tigers owned by the Chapitos, highlighting the brutality of their operations.

Pérez Salas’ extradition marks a significant step in dismantling the operations of the Sinaloa Cartel and bringing justice to those involved in fueling the drug crisis in both Mexico and the U.S.