U.S. prosecutors have submitted nearly five million pieces of evidence in the legal proceedings against the leaders of the Los Zetas cartel, Omar and Miguel Ángel Treviño Morales, who were among 29 individuals extradited to the United States in February.
Three months following their extradition, a second status hearing took place in Washington, D.C., where significant evidence was presented to a judge. Kirk Handrich, the lead prosecutor from the Justice Department’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), indicated that approximately 4.9 million files have been compiled, all of which will be made available to the defense and may be utilized during the trial.
During the June 11 hearing, it was disclosed that the case encompasses around 490,000 intercepted communications, along with transcripts, intelligence reports, and other relevant documents pertaining to the Treviño Morales brothers, who led the cartel throughout the 2010s.
Related posts
Handrich noted that further evidence is forthcoming, including data from the Mexican government and materials gathered by DEA agents in Dallas and Laredo, Texas, as reported by Milenio. “The majority of the evidence is in Spanish,” he stated, “but we have a translator available for English.”
In March, the Treviño Morales brothers appeared before U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden in Washington and entered not guilty pleas to various charges, including organized crime, drug trafficking, possession of firearms, and money laundering.
Despite the extensive nature of the evidence and potential delays, Handrich expressed confidence that prosecutors would provide an update at the next hearing, scheduled for October 14, regarding whether the Justice Department intends to pursue the death penalty if convictions are secured.
During the June 11 session, the defense team requested that the Justice Department release all documents and communications related to the brothers’ transfer to the U.S., contending that this transfer occurred outside the formal extradition process. This motion was filed by defense attorney Eduardo Balarezo and referenced by Milenio, seeking records of communications between U.S. and Mexican authorities as well as internal documents from U.S. agencies, including the Departments of Justice and State and the White House. The defense argues these records are essential to determine if there were any irregularities during the handover prior to completing extradition proceedings.
Milenio reports that the Treviño Morales brothers, known by their aliases “Z-40” and “Z-42,” are defended by a prominent legal team consisting of nine attorneys. This team includes Frank Pérez, who also represents Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada; Eduardo Balarezo, former counsel for Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán; and Clark Birdsall, who has represented Zambada since January.
The Los Zetas cartel originated as an elite group of military deserters from the Mexican army who initially served as the armed wing for the Gulf Cartel. They later established their own organization and gained prominence in the early 2000s. Notorious for their brutal methods—including kidnapping, extortion, and torture—Los Zetas became one of Mexico’s most feared and violent criminal organizations.
As highlighted by InSight Crime, Los Zetas were recognized for their advanced weaponry and communication technologies. At one point, the DEA regarded them as the most technologically sophisticated and violent enforcement group operating in Mexico.
The cartel was originally led by Heriberto Lazcano Lazcano, who recruited the Treviño Morales brothers in 2003. By 2011, they had become integral members of his inner circle. Following Lazcano’s death in 2012, they assumed leadership of the organization. Although both brothers were captured years earlier (Miguel Ángel in 2013 and Omar in 2015), U.S. prosecutors contend that they maintained control over the cartel from prison until their extradition in February.
