(NewsNation) — The U.S. is seeking the “swift” extradition of Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, a man officials say is a top assassin for “Chapitos,” a faction of the Sinaloa cartel, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday.
Salas, better known as “El Nini,” was arrested in Culiacan, Mexico, Wednesday afternoon by national security forces, according to public records.
“Shortly after the apprehension of El Nini, I spoke with Mexican Attorney General Gertz to thank him for the extraordinary efforts of the Mexican authorities who made the arrest,” Garland said in a statement.
“We are now seeking El Nini’s swift extradition from Mexico to face justice here in the United States,” Garland added.
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The arrest comes less than a week after President Joe Biden met with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador in San Francisco to discuss the trafficking of fentanyl from Mexico into the U.S.
U.S. courts have indicted Perez Salas on several charges for his alleged role at the helm of the Chapitos’ security apparatus, including cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, possession of machine guns and witness retaliation.
The State Department had offered up to $3 million for information leading to his arrest.
In January, Mexican authorities captured Ovidio Guzman in Sinaloa and extradited him to the United States in September. The three other Guzman brothers, who are suspected of being leaders of Los Chapitos, including figurehead Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, remain free.
“These arrests are testament to the commitment between the United States and Mexico to secure our communities against violence, counter the cartels, and end the scourge of illicit fentanyl that is hurting so many families,” President Biden said in a statement.