Mexico Reportedly Plans "Mega Expulsion" of 40 Narcos, Including El Cuini and La Tuta

The Mexican government is reportedly planning a "mass expulsion" of a new batch of significant drug cartel figures to the United States. According to the information published by Crashout Media, "Mexican prosecutors are also considering filing Mexican terrorism charges against cartel operatives, which could strengthen the controversial argument for expulsions."

The "expulsions" are part of Mexican "President Claudia Sheinbaum's strategy of cracking down hard on cartels to placate the Trump administration and avoid excessive tariffs or unilateral U.S. military strikes into Mexico," adds the report, published by Ioan Grillo, a British journalist based in Mexico City and specialized in organized crime.

"Up to 40 cartel members could be expelled," details Grillo, mentioning the name of Abigael "El Cuini" González Valencia, a high-ranking cartel member who is accused of being the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

However, this would not be the first "expulsion" of Sheinbaum's administration. In February of this year, 29 alleged cartel bosses, including "Narco of Narcos" Rafael Caro Quintero and the Treviño Morales brothers, were extradited to the United States on military planes.

This joint operation between the Mexican and American governments has been repeatedly referred by U.S. officials as "an extraordinary transfer process" that skirts the processes of a formal extradition. The "transfer process" also opens the possibility for the death penalty, something previously out of the question in regular extraditions.

Grillo also reported that the U.S. has a list of 100 individuals they want extradited into their custody. Other narcos included in the possible "expulsion" event are Servando "La Tuta" Gómez of the Michoacán Knights Templar cartel.

This wave of extraditions is the result of talks between Mexican and U.S. officials to strengthen joint efforts against drug trafficking.

"It was collaborative. For months, we had been trying to figure out how to do this," an anonymous U.S. official told Grillo. "We looked at how can we find a way under Mexico's laws that will work to get these people."

The official also said that Mexico was keen on the extradition as well because "They are killing prison guards. They are threatening prison guards. They are still running things from prison. What judge is ever going to sign that extradition order? You can't just say it's because they are corrupt. It's because they don't want their grandkids..."

It has been speculated that Mexico's cooperation in the expulsions is part of President Sheinbaum's strategy to avoid the harsh tariffs the Trump administration has been known for since taking office in January. Trump had previously stated on social media that unless drug flow into the U.S. was addressed by Mexico, he would impose a 25% tariff on Mexican imports.

Although Mexico has increased seizures and cracked down on migrant flows, these efforts appear to have fallen short of Trump's expectations. The mass extradition seems to be a strategic gesture to appease the U.S., particularly as Trump's administration has designated six Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations.