Chinese national Zhi Dong Zhang, an alleged fentanyl and cocaine kingpin, was handed over to U.S. authorities on Thursday shortly after Cuba had deported him to Mexico.
Mexico’s Security Minister Omar García Harfuch confirmed the handover on social media, thanking Cuba for its “valuable cooperation” in recapturing Zhang who had escaped custody in Mexico in July.
Calling him a major international money laundering operator, García Harfuch said Zhang was responsible for “establishing connections with other cartels for the transfer of fentanyl from China to Central America, South America, Europe and the United States.”
The trafficker was apprehended in Mexico City on Oct. 30, 2024, on charges of criminal association, international drug trafficking and operations with illicit proceeds. He was soon the subject of an extradition request by the U.S. government, as a warrant had been issued for his arrest on money laundering charges.
Also known as Brother Wang, Zhang is accused in U.S. court documents of “exporting, transporting and distributing more than 1,000 kg of cocaine and 1,800 kg of fentanyl” as well as using more than 100 shell companies and bank accounts to “launder more than US $150 million in illegal annual profits” between 2020 and 2021.
While extradition proceedings dragged on, Zhang managed to escape custody on July 11 following a controversial decision to grant him house arrest.
At the time, President Claudia Sheinbaum criticized the judge’s resolution as Mexico was negotiating a security agreement with the U.S., with a particular focus on fentanyl trafficking.
“That ruling should never have come from a judge. How is that possible?” she said, according to the newspaper El País, while citing concerns her government had about judicial corruption.
On Thursday, Mexican journalist Mario Maldonado reported that the judge in question — Juan José Hernández Leyva — has in the past issued rulings favorable to several high-profile operatives, some of which have prompted formal complaints.
After fleeing Mexico, Zhang traveled to Russia but was denied entry for using a false passport. On July 31, Zhang was detained by Cuban authorities along with a Mexican national and a Chinese national.
It is not clear why Cuba — which has not officially commented on Zhang’s arrest or his expulsion — did not inform Mexico of the arrest until this week. Interpol had issued a red notice against him in August.
With reports from El País, Reuters, CNN, CBS News, Milenio and La Jornada
