Mexico Hands Alleged Drug Boss to U.S.

The Associated Press

By LISA J. ADAMS

January 20, 2007

Mexico has extradited a purported drug cartel boss and three other alleged major traffickers to the United States, a move that Washington on Saturday called 'unprecedented' in the cross-border fight against organized crime.

Osiel Cardenas, the alleged Gulf cartel leader who was believed to still be running his gang from jail in Mexico, was sent north Friday along with 13 others wanted by U.S. authorities after their appeals against extradition ran out, the office of Mexico's attorney general said.

U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales praised Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Saturday for the extradition, saying the U.S. had never before received from Mexico such a large number of drug suspects and others wanted for prosecution in the United States.

'The actions overnight by the Mexican government are unprecedented in their scope and importance,' Gonzales said in a statement released Saturday.