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Mexican authorities have confirmed the extradition of a notorious cartel member who was in charge of security operations for the children of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.

On Saturday, Mexico extradited Nestor Isidro Perez Salas, known as “El Nini,” to the United States. Perez, a key security figure for the sons of former Sinaloa Cartel leader El Chapo, was arrested by the Mexican National Guard in November in Culiacan, the cartel’s stronghold. The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has described Perez as one of the most ruthless figures in the Mexican drug trade.

Perez led the “Ninis,” a violent security group working for Ivan Archivaldo Guzman and other sons of El Chapo. These sons, now leaders of the “Los Chapitos” faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, are considered some of the most significant targets for US law enforcement due to their alleged role as the primary fentanyl traffickers to the United States.

In a statement, US Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “We allege El Nini was one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s lead sicarios, or assassins, and was responsible for the murder, torture, and kidnapping of rivals and witnesses who threatened the cartel’s criminal drug trafficking enterprise.” President Joe Biden also expressed his thanks to Mexico for agreeing to extradite El Nini.

US prosecutors have charged El Nini with numerous charges, including trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine, possession of machine guns, and retaliating against witnesses.