The Public Ministry coordinated with the National Civil Police the arrest of three persons linked to the Sinaloa cartel, wanted by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, for drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, and money laundering.
On March 17, Sergio Antonio Duarte Frias and Ana Gabriela Rubio Zea, alias “Gaby,” were arrested in Guatemala City. According to the investigation, Duarte Frias was a money launderer and drug trafficker established in Mexico. Rubio Zea has worked as a lead supplier of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China to drug traffickers in Mexico.
In addition, on March 18, Humberto Beltrán Cuen, alias “Don Chino,” was arrested as a member of a drug trafficking organization and allegedly conspired to distribute fentanyl and supply multiple kilograms of fentanyl in the United States and Australia. He reportedly negotiated the shipment of approximately 500 automatic rifles, 500 pistols, and 20 rocket-propelled grenades.
These represent the seventh and the eighth arrests for extradition to the U.S. for crimes related to drug trafficking so far this year.
