Notorious drug lord Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, former leader of Mexico’s feared Gulf cartel, was returned to Mexico after serving 14 years of a 25-year sentence in the United States. Upon his arrival, he was immediately re-arrested and transferred to a maximum-security prison to face additional charges in Mexico.
The U.S. Homeland Security Department confirmed Cárdenas Guillén’s deportation on Monday via social media, sharing images of him being escorted by heavily armed officers across a border bridge. The photos revealed a stark contrast to his once fearsome reputation—now appearing older, balding, and bespectacled.
A Mexican federal official, speaking anonymously, said Cárdenas Guillén is facing charges of drug trafficking, organized crime, and money laundering. Following his re-arrest, he was immediately transferred to Mexico’s Altiplano maximum-security prison, located west of Mexico City.
Cárdenas Guillén, a native of Matamoros, Mexico, led the Gulf cartel during its peak, where he amassed millions of dollars by moving tons of cocaine across the border. Known for his brutality and violent tactics, he was responsible for creating the notorious Zetas, a paramilitary group that later became infamous for their ruthless violence and widespread killings, including innocent civilians and migrants.
Cárdenas Guillén’s reign as leader of the Gulf cartel made him one of the most feared figures in Mexico’s criminal underworld. Before his 2007 extradition to the United States, he controlled drug routes across northeastern Mexico, primarily in the border cities of Reynosa and Matamoros.
His sentencing in the U.S. marked a significant blow to the cartel, though the group’s splinter factions and the Zetas continued to wreak havoc in the years that followed.
Now 57 years old, Cárdenas Guillén’s return to Mexico sparked concerns among officials over potential cartel violence or attempts to regain power. However, his swift re-arrest ensures he remains under strict custody while Mexican authorities pursue justice for his past crimes.
Key Facts:
– Osiel Cárdenas Guillén served 14 years of a 25-year sentence in U.S. custody.
– He was deported to Mexico, where he faces charges of drug trafficking, organized crime, and money laundering.
– Cárdenas Guillén was transferred to the Altiplano maximum-security prison.
– Known for his brutality, he founded the infamous Zetas, Mexico’s most violent cartel offshoot.
