Mario Hidalgo, a former associate of the Sinaloa Cartel and aide to Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, was deported to Mexico by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after serving three years of a seven-year prison sentence for drug trafficking. The 46-year-old, also known as "El Nariz" ("The Nose"), is expected to face further criminal charges in Mexico.
Hidalgo's criminal history spans decades, with ICE identifying him as a key figure in the cartel's operations. Hidalgo was indicted by a federal jury in San Diego in 2015 for conspiring to traffic marijuana. He admitted in court to coordinating with at least five others to smuggle six tons of marijuana into the United States in 2012 using a yacht off the coast of San Diego, as The Miami Herald reports.
In December 2021 a U.S. District Court judge sentenced Hidalgo to seven years in prison. However, after serving less than half his sentence, Hidalgo was handed over to ICE and subsequently deported.
Hidalgo's ties to El Chapo were well-documented during investigations and trials, as Infobae points out. U.S. authorities described him as a trusted confidant and operative who played a pivotal role in advancing the cartel's drug-trafficking operations. His arrest in Mexico prior to extradition in 2020 reportedly provided critical intelligence about Guzmán's movements, although it did not immediately lead to the drug lord's posterior capture.
Hidalgo's deportation highlights ongoing efforts by U.S. and Mexican authorities to target high-ranking members of the Sinaloa Cartel. "El Chapo" is serving a life sentence in the United States, while two of his sons are negotiating with authorities after also being captured by U.S. authorities.
Posecutors in the Northern District of Illinois, stated last week that they aim to reach a deal with Ovidio Guzmán, known as "El Ratón," by February 27. Meanwhile, discussions involving his brother Joaquín Guzmán López are expected to take longer, with a new court date set for March 19.
Originally published on Latin Times
