Top Sinaloa Cartel Assassin Extradited to U.S. to Face Charges

Mexican Drug Cartel Assassin Extradited to US to Face Charges

A top assassin for the Sinaloa drug cartel, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, also known as “El Nini,” has been extradited to the U.S. to face drug, gun, and witness retaliation charges, the Justice Department confirmed on Saturday. Pérez Salas, a key member of a group providing security for the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, is accused of involvement in the deadly international drug business.

The group, led by the notorious “Chapitos,” has been identified as one of the main exporters of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid responsible for approximately 70,000 overdose deaths annually in the United States. U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated that Pérez Salas was responsible for heinous crimes, including torture, murder, and kidnapping.

Last year, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration offered a $3 million reward for the capture of Pérez Salas, who was apprehended by Mexican authorities in Culiacan last November. President Joe Biden expressed gratitude to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for the extradition, emphasizing the joint efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis.

Described as a “complete psychopath” by former DEA official Mike Vigil, Pérez Salas commanded a brutal security team known as the Ninis, who were trained in various combat tactics. The indictment revealed gruesome acts of violence, including the torture of a Mexican federal agent and the execution of rivals on ranches owned by the Chapitos.

The Ninis, under Pérez Salas’ command, carried out ruthless acts, feeding some victims to tigers owned by the Chapitos. The notorious assassin now faces a series of charges in the U.S., highlighting the ongoing battle against drug cartels and the international drug trade.