Juan Manuel Abouzaid El Bayeh, a high-ranking member of the notorious Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), also known as “The Scorpion,” has been extradited to the United States after evading capture for nearly a decade. El Bayeh, 52, was handed over to the US Marshals Service on Monday following his arrest in Mexico in 2021. He now faces charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine.
CJNG rose to power in Jalisco, Mexico in 2009, seizing the opportunity presented by the downfall of the Valencia/Milenio cartel. Under the leadership of Ruben Oseguera-Cervantes, also known as “el Mencho,” CJNG engaged in violent turf battles to gain control over strategic drug distribution areas. Oseguera-Cervantes is currently one of the DEA’s most wanted fugitives, with a $10 million bounty on his head. The DOJ has designated CJNG as one of the five most dangerous transnational cartels.
El Bayeh was a trusted associate of Oseguera-Cervantes and operated within a special group within CJNG, according to Univision. He was indicted in May 2017 by the US District Court in DC for drug trafficking, with his criminal activities dating back to 2012. In June 2020, Mexican authorities froze El Bayeh’s bank accounts due to his involvement with the cartel, as confirmed by the Treasury Department. In March 2021, the Treasury Department designated El Bayeh as a drug trafficker for providing material support to CJNG.
While the extradition of El Bayeh is seen as a positive development, former DEA chief Derek Maltz believes it will have limited impact on the drug supply chain flowing into the US. Maltz emphasizes the need for a comprehensive effort to disrupt the cartels’ operations. Additionally, retired Homeland Security Investigations agent Victor Avila raises concerns about the timing of the arrest, suggesting it may be politically motivated ahead of Mexico’s upcoming presidential elections in June.
1 Response
This is absolutely sickening. The fact that a high-ranking member of a ruthless cartel like CJNG, known for their brutal violence and involvement in drug trafficking, managed to evade capture for almost a decade is a clear indication of the deep-rooted corruption and inefficiency within law enforcement. It’s infuriating to see how criminals like Juan Manuel Abouzaid El Bayeh can operate with impunity, spreading fear and destruction, while innocent lives are destroyed in the process. The fact that he has now