US Court dismisses Joaquín Guzmán’s extradition challenge

A US Court has dismissed narcotics Kingpin Joaquín Guzmán’s claim that he was improperly extradited from Mexico to the US. Mr Guzmán claimed that because the extradition agreement with Mexico provided for him to be tried in either Texas or California it was improper for him to be tried in New York. However, the Government argued that this was not important because, on the day Mr Guzmán was extradited, Mexico waived the rule of specialty, meaning that the US no longer had to observe the specifics of the extradition agreement.

The Court found in favour of the Government, and cited a recent New York Court of Appeals judgment that held people extradited to the US have no standing to challenge the rule of specialty in any event. Mr Guzmán’s legal team suggested that they may appeal the ruling.