'Drug Kingpin' Associated With Sinaloa Cartel Arrested for Trafficking Drugs From Mexico to Alaska
Members of the Technical Agency of Criminal Investigation (ATIC) escort alleged drug trafficker of the Atlantic cartel Fredy Donaldo Marmol Vallejo to a military unit after appearing in court in Tegucigalpa on August 19, 2021. - Marmol's extradition was requested by the Federal Court of the South District of Florida, US. ORLANDO SIERRA/AFP via Getty Images

An alleged "drug kingpin" associated with the Sinaloa cartel has been arrested for leading a network that trafficked cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin from Mexico to Alaska, authorities said on Wednesday.

Miguel Baez Guevara, 38, a U.S. citizen living in Mexico, was arrested by Mexican immigration authorities in Sonora, Mexico on September 10 and deported to the U.S.

Drug Trafficking from Mexico to Alaska

The U.S. Attorney's Office for Alaska said Guevara faces 17 criminal counts related to his leadership role in trafficking drugs from Mexico to Alaska.

The alleged drug kingpin pleaded not guilty in federal court in Phoenix, Arizona on Tuesday. Prosecutors said he would remain detained in Arizona pending his transfer to Alaska.

An indictment against Miguel Baez Guevara said his organization started importing heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine directly from Mexico to Alaska in 2016.

The indictment noted that Guevara's group specifically targeted Alaska because they could sell the drugs at a higher rate due to the state's distance from the supply in Mexico. The indictment was handed down in February and unsealed Wednesday.

Guevara's charges include engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, also referred to as the "kingpin statute," drug conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, and three firearms counts.

The Mexican Drug Kingpin

Guevara's indictment and arrest were part of an "ongoing, largescale drug trafficking investigation," which resulted in the indictment of 23 people who have already pleaded guilty to charges.

Acting U.S. Attorney for Alaska Bryan Wilson said the "kingpin statute" was enacted to reach the top brass in drug trafficking organizations.

Wilson noted that it specifically targets large-scale profit-making enterprises involved in the illegal importation, manufacture, and distribution of controlled substances.

"A conviction carries a mandatory life sentence," he said.

Sinaloa Cartel Connection

Miguel Baez Guevara has claimed membership and association with the Sinaloa Cartel operating in Sonora, Mexico. According to the indictment, Guevara's group recruited drug couriers who lived in Alaska via social media and encrypted messaging applications.

The couriers were promised money or drugs in exchange for traveling to Mexico to get the drugs. Each courier would carry about 250 grams of narcotics back to the U.S. After several days of waiting in Arizona, the couriers were flown to Alaska.

Street-level dealers in Alaska then contacted Guevara, who coordinated the sale between his Alaska workers and the local dealer.

The Sinaloa cartel is among the most powerful drug-trafficking syndicates in the world. Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is the most well-known Sinaloa cartel leader.

In 2019, El Chapo was sentenced to life imprisonment in the U.S. But even with El Chapo in jail, the notorious drug cartel shows no signs of slowing down.

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Written by: Jess Smith

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