Fri Feb 28 05:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Sinaloa Cartel Leader Extradited to US, Faces Life Sentence

**El Paso, Texas –** Daniel Franco López, a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel known by the aliases “Neón,” “Micha,” and “Fer,” was extradited from Mexico to the United States on February 26th, the Department of Justice announced. López faces life imprisonment on charges including organized crime, money laundering, extortion, and conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.

The FBI in El Paso confirmed the extradition, stating that López was indicted in April 2012 alongside notorious cartel leaders Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán and Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada. He was arrested in Mexico on August 14, 2012, and remained in custody until his recent extradition.

The indictment alleges López’s involvement in a vast drug trafficking operation, including the possession and importation of over five kilograms of cocaine and more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana. He also faces charges related to his participation in a continuing criminal enterprise.

FBI agent John Morales stated, “This extradition begins the process of justice for all those who have suffered as a result of Franco López’s criminal actions as a member of the Sinaloa Cartel.” López’s case is further highlighted by his inclusion in a 2012 indictment from the Western District of Texas which named El Chapo, El Mayo, and 22 other individuals. Both El Chapo and El Mayo are currently incarcerated in the US.

The extradition comes just days after the US secured the extradition of another individual linked to the Sinaloa Cartel from Guatemala, and the extradition of Raúl Saucedo Huipio, connected to alleged human trafficker Ofelia Hernández Salas (“Doña Lupe”). The timing underscores a continued effort by US authorities to dismantle the Sinaloa Cartel’s operations.

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