One of the most ruthless cartel kingpins in Mexico, believed to have masterminded the brutal torture and murder of an American DEA agent 40 years ago, has been extradited to the U.S. to face justice.

In 1985, 37-year-old Enrique “Kiki” Camarena was working under cover in Mexico on behalf of the DEA when he and his pilot were abducted and beaten mercilessly for approximately 30 hours before they eventually died.

On March 5 that year, they were found by the side of a road about 60 miles southwest of Guadalajara, the Washington Times reported. They were wrapped in plastic and discarded like garbage.

Camarena's skull, face, and windpipe had been smashed, and a hole had been drilled into his head by a screwdriver, the Times said. He was also reportedly injected with drugs during the beating so that he would remain conscious.

Screenshot of portrait of Special Agent Enrique Camarena from DEA website.

Camarena had apparently been targeted because he fed Mexican authorities information about a 2,500-acre marijuana farm belonging to Rafael Caro Quintero, believed to be a founder of the Guadalajara cartel. Quintero was later convicted of Camarena's murder in a Mexican court and sentenced to 40 years behind bars.

In 2013, after serving 28 years, Quintero was released from prison on a technicality. Though the Mexican Supreme Court overturned the ruling that sprang him from prison, Quintero then went on the run and joined forces with the Sinaloa cartel, an offshoot of the Guadalajara cartel.

He remained on the loose until July 2022, when members of the Mexican Navy captured him in Sinaloa. His capture came at great cost, however, after a helicopter carrying Mexican military personnel assigned to his case crashed in a nearby town, killing 14 Mexican Marines.

'When he goes to trial, the Kiki homicide will come out, and the fact he ordered the killing will be revealed.'

Quintero has been under indictment on federal drug-trafficking charges in the U.S. since at least 2020. Now, he will finally appear in U.S. court after he and nearly 30 other alleged cartel affiliates have been extradited from Mexico to the United States.

Quintero faces charges in New York, Texas, and California, but is expected to appear in Brooklyn Federal Court on Friday.

The Trump administration, which has leaned heavily on Mexico to do more to rein in the deadly cartels, promised that Quintero and the 28 other defendants would be brought to justice.

"As President Trump has made clear, cartels are terrorist groups, and this Department of Justice is devoted to destroying cartels and transnational gangs," Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.

"We will prosecute these criminals to the fullest extent of the law in honor of the brave law enforcement agents who have dedicated their careers — and in some cases, given their lives — to protect innocent people from the scourge of violent cartels. We will not rest until we secure justice for the American people."

DEA acting Administrator Derek Maltz said Quintero's name in particular "stands above the rest" for the DEA family.

"This moment is extremely personal for the men and women of DEA who believe Caro Quintero is responsible for the brutal torture and murder of DEA Special Agent Enrique ‘Kiki’ Camarena. It is also a victory for the Camarena family. Today sends a message to every cartel leader, every trafficker, every criminal poisoning our communities: You will be held accountable. No matter how long it takes, no matter how far you run, justice will find you."

Ray Donovan, the former head of the New York DEA office who is believed to have captured notorious Mexican drug lord El Chapo, likewise told the New York Post that Quintero's extradition was "personal."

"This is bigger than Chapo for me and every other DEA agent," Donovan said. "This was personal."

Quintero does face a slew of charges, but as of now, murder is not one of them. However, Donovan believes Quintero will still be held to account for Camarena's horrific death and the sorrow of his widow and son, both of whom are still alive.

"When he goes to trial, the Kiki homicide will come out, and the fact he ordered the killing will be revealed," Donovan said.

Mexican authorities also acknowledged the importance of the extraditions for both countries involved. "This action is part of the work of coordination, cooperation, and bilateral reciprocity within the framework of respect for the sovereignty of both nations," the Mexican Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Even the New York Times, which gave much of the credit for the extraditions to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, had to admit that "Mexican officials’ concession appeared to be an early win for President Trump."

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