Miguel Caro Quintero
Miguel Ángel Caro Quintero (born 1963) is a Mexican convicted drug lord and former leader of the Sonora Cartel, a defunct criminal group based in Sonora.[3]
Miguel Ángel Caro Quintero | |
|---|---|
| Born | Miguel Ángel Caro Quintero 1963 (age 56–57) |
| Occupation | Illegal drug trafficker |
| Employer | Leader of Sonora Cartel |
| Known for | Drug lord. |
| Partner(s) | Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Rafael Caro Quintero |
| Relatives | Rafael Caro Quintero |
| Notes | |
Career
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) states Caro Quintero created the Sonora Cartel from remnants of the Guadalajara Cartel, which was co-founded by his brother Rafael Caro Quintero. Rafael Caro Quintero was arrested in Costa Rica in 1985 in connection with the torture and death of DEA Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar.
In 1989 Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo was arrested, causing the splintering of the Guadalajara Cartel into the Sinaloa Cartel, Tijuana Cartel and Sonora Cartel.[4][5]
Arrest and conviction
Caro Quintero was previously arrested in 1992 on charges of tax evasion, he was found not guilty, which the DEA attributes to the use of threats and bribes by Caro Quintero. While imprisoned, it is believed Caro Quintero is still running the Sonora Cartel, where he is being held on charges of racketeering, drug smuggling and money laundering. Caro Quintero was arrested in December 2001 in Los Mochis, Sinaloa. Prior to his arrest he has repeatedly stated he is innocent of the charges and has accused the DEA of pursuing a vendetta against him for his brother Rafael Caro Quintero's, alleged role in the death of DEA Special Agent Enrique Camarena. Miguel Caro Quintero is noted as having called into a radio station to profess his innocence, stating: "If I had a cartel, I'd have a lot of money and my brother wouldn't be there (in jail)"; he claimed to be an innocent rancher. He further stated he does not believe his brother was involved in the killing of the DEA agent.[4][5][6]
Miguel Caro Quintero was arrested in Mexico in 2001 and charged with smuggling cocaine and marijuana into the U.S. for over 10 years.[2] He was extradited to the U.S. on February 25, 2009.[1] After his indictment Miguel admitted trafficking more than 100 tons of marijuana, and sending more than $100 million to Mexico.[7] Miguel Caro Quintero pleaded guilty and he was sentenced on February 4, 2010 in Denver to 17 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute marijuana in Arizona and racketeering.[8]
Release and deportation
On 20 July 2019, Caro Quintero was deported from the U.S. to Mexico after completing his sentence. He was deported through El Chaparral port of entry in Tijuana, Baja California. On the Mexican side, Caro Quintero was received by his family members. Mexican authorities did not issue an official statement regarding his status in Mexico.[9]
See also
References
- Liddick, Donald R. (2004). The Global Underworld: Transnational Crime and the United States. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 33. ISBN 0-275-98074-X.
- Miguel Caro Quintero
- "Miguel Angel Caro Quintero, Former Sonoran Cartel Boss, Convicted In Denver". Huffington Post. February 4, 2010.
- Jesse Helms, ed. (1999). Mexican and American Responses to the International Narcotics Threat. U.S. Senate, Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, Narcotics and Terrorism of the Committee on Foreign Relations. pp. 61, 136, 137. ISBN 0-7881-8008-8.
- Weiner, Tim (December 22, 2001). "Suspect in Vast Drug Ring Held in Mexico; May Be Sent to U.S.". New York Times.
- "Extraditan a EU a hermano de Rafael Caro Quintero". Archived from the original on 2009-05-02. Retrieved 2009-08-19.
- "Mexican cartel leader pleads guilty". CNN. October 24, 2009.
- ABERNETHY, SAMANTHA (February 4, 2020). "Mexican drug kingpin convicted of drugs and racketeering in Colorado and Arizona gets 17 years". Associated Press. Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- "Deportan a Miguel Caro Quintero". Zeta (in Spanish). 20 July 2019.