MEXICO CITY, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Mexico on Tuesday transferred 37 alleged operatives of criminal organizations to the United States in a coordinated operation between the two countries, Mexico's Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection Omar Garcia Harfuch confirmed.
He said the inmates, who were held in different prisons across Mexico, posed "a real threat to the country's security."
"The operation was carried out in accordance with the National Security Law and under bilateral cooperation mechanisms, with full respect to national sovereignty," Harfuch wrote on social media platform X.
Harfuch said Mexico reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to ensure that none of those transferred would face the death penalty.
According to Harfuch, the detainees were taken to Washington, Houston, New York, Pennsylvania, San Antonio and San Diego aboard seven aircraft operated by Mexico's armed forces.
He added that with this operation, a total of 92 high-impact criminals have been sent to the United States during the current administration, and they "will no longer be able to generate violence in our country."
Local media reported that among those transferred were individuals allegedly linked to the Jalisco New Generation, Northeast, Pacific and Beltran Leyva cartels. ■