On Wednesday the Mexican government extradited 13 drug cartel suspects to the United States to face justice.

The Associated Press reports that the move was part of a new joint effort between the U.S. and Mexico to better fight organized crime. The coordination between the two nations resulted from a June meeting between U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch and her Mexican counterpart, Arely Gomez.

A release from the Justice Department quotes Attorney General Lynch as saying, “Today’s extraditions would not have been possible without the close collaboration and productive relationship the Department of Justice enjoys with officials at the highest levels of law enforcement in Mexico.”

“I am grateful to our Mexican counterparts not only for their assistance with this important matter, but also for their extraordinary efforts and unwavering partnership in our ongoing fight against international organized crime,” she added.

Several of the extradited include suspects who are tied to high-profile cases which directly affected U.S. citizens.

One of the extradited is Edgar Valdez Villareal, a notorious criminal known as "La Barbie” who had a top position in the Beltran Leyva drug cartel. Getting Valdez Villareal into a U.S. courtroom is seen as a major coup by law enforcement.

An official speaking to CNN about the infamous drug lord said: "It's significant that the Mexicans are letting him go. He's one of those 'high value' guys we never thought they would hand over."

The extraditions come after cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman recently managed to escape from a maximum security prison though a tunnel beneath his cell.

Alejandro Hope, a Mexican security expert posits that Guzman’s escape in July was a major factor in Mexico’s decision to extradite these criminals, saying, "Maybe they don't feel as safe now about the security in the prison system."

"My guess it is that they're probably starting to make amends for El Chapo," he added.