Mexico: The U.S. government deported notorious drug lord Osiel Cardenas on Monday, handing him over to Mexican authorities at the border city of Tijuana, two federal officials told Reuters. Cardenas, the former head of the Gulf Cartel, was known for his brutal and violent tactics. According to one of the sources, the 57-year-old was transferred to Mexico’s Almoloya prison, where he now faces three criminal charges, including one related to organized crime and another for the use of illicit funds.

Cardenas, who had spent over two decades in maximum-security U.S. prisons, was released in August and detained by U.S. immigration authorities. After crossing the San Diego port of entry into Tijuana, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed that the transfer to Mexican law enforcement occurred "without incident."

Samuel Olson, head of ICE’s enforcement and removal office in Chicago, emphasized that Cardenas’ removal was a significant achievement, highlighting the U.S.'s commitment to public safety and justice.

Once a powerful figure in the Mexican drug world, Cardenas orchestrated some of the most violent periods in Mexico's criminal history. His tactics included brutal decapitations, and under his leadership, the Gulf Cartel became notorious for its bloodshed. The Gulf Cartel, one of Mexico’s oldest criminal organizations, has since been overshadowed by the rise of the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels.

Cardenas was also responsible for founding the Zetas Cartel, a paramilitary faction of former special forces soldiers, which later became an even more deadly force in the country’s criminal underworld. The Zetas were notorious for diversifying into activities like extortion and widespread kidnappings for ransom, further terrorizing communities they controlled.