Guatemala officials say one of Guatemala’s most wanted drug traffickers has been arrested in Mexico and returned to Guatemala to await extradition to the United States.
Guatemala Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez said on Tuesday that it had taken the occupation of Aler Baldomero Samayoa Recinos in cooperation with Mexico and the United States. He said Samayoa Recinos negotiated drug transport with the Mexican cartel through Guatemala.
Jiménez posted images and videos of the arrest on social media showing the officers of Samayoa Recinos who were accompanying handcuffs.
Guatemala Interior Minister Francisco Jiménez
Guatemala also has a case against Samayoa Recinos, so it is unclear whether the case must be conducted before its extradition is considered. He is expected to appear in Guatemala on Wednesday.
The U.S. federal indictment against Samayoa Recinos opened in Washington in 2022 on suspicion of cocaine trafficking. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Samayoa Recinos, also known as “Chicarra,” and his son were charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine for import into the United States.
According to court documents, Samayoa Recinos allegedly conspired with others to import cocaine from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico into the United States.
Guatemalan authorities say Samayoa Recinos leads an organized criminal organization Los Huistas.
In March 2022, the U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on Los Huistas, calling it “the main criminal structure of the Guatemala Department of the Huehuetenango Guatemala Agency (along the Guatemala and Mexico border).
According to the U.S. Treasury Department, Los Huistas Sinaloa Cartel and Jalisco’s new generation cartel. The United States accused Samayoa Recinos of overseeing the group’s drug trafficking and engaging in money laundering.
