The notorious leader of the Los Zetas cartel, Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, was re-arrested in Mexico immediately after being deported from the United States where he completed a lengthy prison sentence.
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, Los Zetas Cartel Leader, Re-arrested Following U.S. Deportation
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, Los Zetas Cartel Leader, Re-arrested Following U.S. Deportation
Cárdenas Guillén faces multiple charges including murder as he returns to Mexico after serving time in the U.S. for drug trafficking.
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, the notorious founder of the infamous Los Zetas drugs cartel, was swiftly apprehended by Mexican authorities upon his deportation from the United States. After serving a 25-year sentence for drug trafficking and threatening federal agents in the U.S., the 57-year-old was handed over to Mexican police at the Otay border crossing, only to be promptly re-arrested and taken to El Altiplano maximum security prison in Mexico state.
Cárdenas Guillén's criminal legacy began in the 1990s with the Gulf cartel, where he ruthlessly eliminated rivals to ascend to the top. His frightening reputation earned him the moniker "Mata Amigos," or "killer of friends." He was notorious for recruiting elite members of Mexico’s special forces to establish a brutal enforcement wing, Los Zetas, responsible for extreme violence, including dismembering and decapitating victims. This campaign of terror significantly influenced the landscape of drug-related violence in northeastern Mexico.
His ascent in the drug trade rapidly led to his status as one of the most wanted criminals in the country. Cárdenas Guillén was captured in a dramatic confrontation with Mexican soldiers in his home state of Tamaulipas in 2003. Fearing his influence, authorities transferred him swiftly to the capital. In 2007, he was extradited to the U.S., where he faced charges of trafficking significant quantities of cocaine and threats against law enforcement.
With his significant prison term partially behind him, Cárdenas Guillén was released in August 2024 and was subsequently deported to Mexico. Following his re-arrest, Mexican prosecutors noted that there are seven federal cases pending against him, which could result in a maximum cumulative sentence exceeding 700 years if convicted.
