Sinaloa Cartel Operative 'Kung Fu Panda' Extradited To The U.S. To Face Cocaine Trafficking Charges

Roberto Najera Gutierrez, also known as "Kung Fu Panda," has been extradited from Mexico to the U.S., where he faces charges of cocaine trafficking and money laundering for the Sinaloa Cartel.

The alleged cartel operative was extradited last week and will face a Georgia federal court for his alleged crimes, which took place between 2013 and 2018. He presented himself as a cattle farmer to provide cover for his crimes.

Infobae detailed that part of his profits were used to buy luxury homes, land and cars in the U.S., while another part was sent through messengers to members of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.

Najera also stands accused of receiving cocaine shipments from Honduras, which he later helped smuggle into Mexico City and the United States. He was first detained in 2013 but was later released.

He was then arrested in 2017 and was set to finish his sentence in 2023, but the U.S. presented an extradition request. In late December a court rejected a presentation to prevent his extradition, and Najera was sent to the U.S. days later.

Mexico has sent dozens of alleged cartel operatives over the past months. The most significant events took place in February and August of last year.

In August, the Mexican government announced that the 26 people being extradited were "wanted for their links to criminal organizations for drug trafficking, among other crimes, and represented a permanent risk to public security." It also said that the Department of Justice had requested their extradition and had committed to not requesting the death penalty in their cases.

Those handed over to U.S. custody include Abigael Gonzalez Valencia, a leader of "Los Cuinis," a group closely aligned with notorious cartel Jalisco New Generation, or CJNG. Another defendant, Roberto Salazar, is wanted in connection with the 2008 killing of a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy. Other prominent figures have ties to the Sinaloa Cartel and other drug trafficking groups, NBC News reported back then.