Top CJNG Lieutenant 'El Jardinero' Denied Request to Halt U.S. Extradition

Audias Flores Silva, also known as "El Jardinero," is pursuing every available legal avenue to prevent his extradition to the United States following his April arrest.

Flores Silva, whom authorities have identified as a regional leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and a close lieutenant of cartel leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, filed a new injunction request arguing that the Mexican government could extradite him to the United States before completing the formal extradition process.

According to Infobae México, El Jardinero told authorities he faces a "well-founded fear" and an "imminent risk" of being sent to the United States, where he faces accusations related to methamphetamine trafficking and conspiracy to commit money laundering, among other charges. He was originally indicted in August 2020 on charges tied to cocaine and heroin trafficking.

According to Flores Silva's attorneys, Mexican authorities are attempting to use a mechanism outside the traditional extradition process in an effort to accelerate his transfer to U.S. custody.

"Administrative authorities intend to banish me from the country. They intend to carry out an expedited expulsion using the National Security Law as a fraudulent means of bypassing ordinary judicial oversight," Flores Silva's team argued in the filing.

Judge Alejandro Latorre Lozano, who denied the request, said it was inadmissible because the extradition order had already been carried out.

According to a statement released by the Justice Department, Flores Silva faces multiple charges in the U.S., including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine for importation into the United States; use of a firearm, including a destructive device, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

If convicted, El Jardinero faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Flores Silva, 45, served as El Mencho's head of security, according to Mexican authorities. Following Oseguera Cervantes' death, El Jardinero emerged as a potential successor to lead the CJNG because of his senior position within the organization.

Authorities say he later took control of cartel operations in the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Mexico and Zacatecas, overseeing drug production and trafficking activities as well as clandestine laboratories. He has also been linked to fuel theft and extortion.