Mexican authorities arrest El Chapo's nephew; extradition pending

A cartel leader with familial ties to infamous kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzmán was arrested in Mexico and faces extradition, according to Omar Garcia Harfuch, the country’s secretary of security and citizen protection.

Isai N, also known as “El Chinacate,” was arrested during an operation in Nogales, which sits just across the border from Arizona in the northern state of Sonora, Harfuch announced May 26 via X.

Harfuch said Isai N is a nephew of Guzmán, the notorious drug trafficker who has been sitting in a U.S. prison since 2017.

In his social media post, Harfuch did not specify which country is seeking Isai N’s extradition or what charges he’s facing.

The Mexican Embassy in Washington and the Department of Justice did not return USA TODAY's request for comment outside of regular business hours.

Mexico steps up anti-narcotics efforts

Isai N's arrest comes one month after Mexican authorities apprehended Audias Flores, a senior commander of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Flores, aka “El Jardinero” or “The Gardner,” was widely regarded as a potential successor to CJNG’s former leader Nemesio “El Mencho” Asegeuro, who was killed during a security operation in February, as USA TODAY previously reported.

The Department of Justice announced May 14 that a federal grand jury had returned a superseding indictment against Flores. He's currently facing charges related to federal drug trafficking conspiracy, firearm offenses, and money laundering conspiracy.

According to Spanish media outlet El País, roughly 50,000 people have been arrested in Mexico for “high-impact crimes” during the first 18 months of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s time in office, as homicide rates have declined. But the outlet notes that violence across the country persists, including kidnappings, arson and internal struggles for supremacy and leadership within organized crime networks.

In his post on May 26, Harfuch added that Mexico’s security apparatus also executed a search warrant in Tapachula, Chiapas, near the coastal border with Guatemala. During that operation, authorities seized more than 1,500 pounds of cocaine, 151 firearms, 363 magazines and 18 grenades.

"These actions reflect the ongoing coordination of the Mexican State to apprehend priority targets and weaken the operational capabilities of criminal groups," Harfuch wrote.

Drew Pittock covers national trending news for USA TODAY. He can be reached at [email protected].