Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas aka El Nini was the leader of the so-called “Ninis,” a group of notoriously violent enforcers for the Chapitos faction of the cartel.
The Sinaloa Cartel is widely regarded as one of the world’s most perilous drug trafficking syndicates, notorious for its involvement in the sale of the lethal opioid, fentanyl.
“We allege El Nini was one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s lead sicarios, or assassins, and was responsible for the murder, torture, and kidnapping of rivals and witnesses who threatened the cartel’s criminal drug trafficking enterprise,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement.
He further emphasized that El Nini, apprehended in the northwest Mexican city of Culiacan—alleged to be the Chapitos’ hometown—in November 2023, was purportedly involved in the Sinaloa Cartel’s manufacturing and distribution of fentanyl, extending to operations within the U.S.
U.S. President Joe Biden also weighed in on Salas’ extradition, expressing gratitude to his Mexican counterpart, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, for his decision to extradite the dangerous criminal.
“Our governments will continue to work together to attack the fentanyl and synthetic drug epidemic that is killing so many people in our homelands and globally, and to bring to justice the criminals and organizations producing, smuggling, and selling these lethal poisons in both of our countries,” Biden stated.
In April 2023, the U.S. Department of State offered up to US$3 million “for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction” of El Nini.
Several months later, in July, the U.S. imposed sanctions on 10 individuals and entities associated with the Sinaloa cartel. Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas “El Nini,” was among those targeted.
