A Mexican national, who is the nephew of jailed drug kingpin Rafael Caro-Quintero, has been extradited from Mexico to the United States, the U.S. Attorneyโs Office says.
Rodrigo Paez-Quintero, who made his initial court appearance Tuesday at federal court in Tucson, was indicted on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as multiple counts of possession with intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl.
โThis indictment alleges coordinated conduct to traffic fentanyl and other illicit drugs into Phoenix,โ said U.S. Attorney for Arizona Gary Restaino in a news release.
The indictment claims Paez-Quintero was involved in at least nine drug trafficking events from the Lukeville Port of Entry, through Ajo and up to Phoenix, in the year before March 2019.
โOur fight against international drug traffickers who spread poison into our communities requires all hands on deck,โ said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in the news release. โThis extradition is yet another example of our partnership with Mexican law enforcement to dismantle deadly cartels and bring drug kingpins to justice.โ
Each count in Paez-Quinteroโs charges has a maximum sentence of life in prison and a maximum fine of $10 million.
The investigation was conducted by Drug Enforcement Administration-Tucson, Homeland Security Investigations-Tucson and FBIโTucson, with assistance from the Tohono Oโodham Nation Police Department.
