Zetas Leader Z-42 Worried About Extradition to US; Judge Grants Him Motion to Prevent a Prison Transfer

"MX" for Borderland Beat

Omar Treviño Morales ("Z-42")

A Mexican federal judge granted a motion to Zetas leader Óscar Omar Treviño Morales ("Z-42") that prevents him from being transferred to a different federal prison from the one he is currently in. This motion was also extended to high-ranking Zetas member Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Díaz.

Z-42 is currently behind bars in the Federal Social Readaptation Center No. 1 (also known as Altiplano), a maximum-security prison in the State of Mexico. The judge who granted the motion was Víctor Octavio Luna Escobedo.

Z-42 is worried about a possible "removal" (extradition) from Mexico. His defense argued that a prison transfer is usually a first step in removing an inmate from the country, and they told the judge to grant him a motion that prevents a prison transfer since there is no official order to remove Z-42 from Mexico. In the U.S., Z-42 is wanted along with his brother Miguel Treviño Morales ("Z-40") for drug trafficking and money laundering.

When his brother Z-40 was captured in 2013, Z-42 took control of Los Zetas up until his arrested in 2015. In July 2019, Z-42 was sentenced by a Mexican federal court to 18 years in prison for illegal possession of firearms and money laundering.

Z-42 taken into custody in 2015

He has other pending charges in Mexico. He is also under trial for the disappearance of 34 people in Nuevo Laredo in June 2005. He is also linked to the 2011 Monterrey arson where 52 people were killed and the clandestine mass graves found in San Fernando, Tamaulipas, that same year, where at least 193 people were killed. Authorities stated that he was widely regarded as a ruthless and violent criminal boss when he was active. If found guilty of these charges, Z-42 could face more prison time in Mexico.

As explained by Borderland Beat earlier this month, Mexican nationals with outstanding charges in Mexico cannot be extradited to the U.S. per Article 15 of the Extradition Treaty between Mexico and the U.S. Z-42 pending charges would have to be dropped or he would have to be convicted of them first before the Mexican government can approve his extradition.