
Mexican authorities have extradited Raúl Saucedo Huipio, a 49-year-old accused of co-leading a transnational human smuggling operation. Saucedo Huipio was handed over to U.S. agents on February 21 and is set to face charges in the District of Arizona for his alleged role in a sophisticated network that has facilitated illegal border crossings since at least 2018.
Saucedo Huipio's is also believed to be linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and, specifically, to 63-year-old Ofelia Hernández Salas, known as "Doña Lupe," who pleaded guilty in December to leading a transnational human smuggling operation that facilitated the illegal entry of over 100 migrants into the United States. Her sentencing is scheduled for March 2025, and she faces up to 15 years in prison.