Mexican Drug Trafficker Eduardo Arellano Félix alias "El Doctor" Was Released From a U.S. Prison.

"Sol Prendido" for Borderland Beat

The former head of the Tijuana cartel, Eduardo Arellano Félix, known as "The Doctor", is no longer in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, he was released from a federal low-security prison in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Drug trafficker Eduardo Arellano Félix, alias "El Doctor", is released from a U.S. prison.

Mexican drug trafficker Eduardo Arellano Félix, former head of the Tijuana cartel, was released Wednesday from a federal prison in Pennsylvania where he was serving a 15-year sentence on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to use illicit profits in the United States.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) confirmed today to Efe that Arellano Félix, known as "The Doctor," is no longer in their custody.

Although he had been sentenced to 15 years in prison, the 64-year-old Mexican did not complete his sentence as a result of his extensive cooperation with the U.S. authorities, which began in May 2013 when he pleaded guilty.

Part of the agreement with the Government in accepting his guilt included that he be convicted only on two of the seven charges of which he was accused when he was extradited from Mexico in August 2012.

Arellano Felix was in a federal low-security prison in Allentown, Pennsylvania, according to BOP data. The information page about the boss will be updated by the end of the day, the agency explained to Efe.

On Tuesday, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard had anticipated that the drug trafficker would not be deported to Mexico after changing his "status" and possibly becoming a "protected witness."

"The information we have is that his status was changed," the Secretary of Foreign Affairs said at a press conference.

Ebrard detailed that the United States "has no obligation" to explain the reason for a change in the status of a detainee, although it most likely "changed the status of the witness."

"But they did change the status, and it means that he will not be deported to Mexico on Wednesday," he said.

In this regard, Donald Murphy, spokesperson for BOP, told Efe that the Bureau "does not provide additional information about inmates who are not in the custody of the BOP."

The Arellano Félix brothers cartel monopolized drug trafficking routes for more than 20 years through Tijuana, in northwest Mexico.

La Opinion