Drug Cartel in Mexico News 2015: Mexican Billionaire Drug Lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman Won't See US Trial Immediately
Mexico is not planning to extradite captured drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman to the United States because he will have to serve out jail time in his country first.
Reuters reported although the U.S. requested the extradition of Guzman, an official at the attorney general's office said he could face prison time in Mexico before even facing trial in America.
"At the moment, the extradition of El Chapo is not being contemplated," the official said, speaking anonymously.
Guzman, mostly known as El Chapo or Shorty in his native country, was the most wanted cartel leader in Mexico last February, leading one of the most powerful drug smuggling rings in the world. El Chapo became a billionaire for his drug trafficking exploits.
The former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel was first captured in 1993 and escaped a Mexican prison in 2001. He is wanted in the U.S. for a series of criminal charges, including cocaine smuggling, money laundering and running a criminal enterprise.
Two Chicago twin brothers were involved with giving tips on how to find Guzman. Pedro and Margarito Flores were sentenced to 14 years each in prison Tuesday instead of getting life sentences, NBC Chicago reported.
"Even though I am not going to sentence you to life, you are leaving here with a life sentence," Judge Ruben Castillo said to the brothers, adding they would live a life full of fear when released from prison for telling on the cartel. "Every time you start your car, you have to wonder will that car start or will it explode."
Pedro and Margarito Flores, known to run a drug ring worth $2 billion, began secretly cooperating with federal investigators in 2008. They recorded over 70 conversations with cartel members, including El Chapo, who sold them cocaine at a reduced price of $50,000 per kilo.
In the past eight years, over 100,000 people died as a result of drug wars in Mexico.
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