Ashhar Alam/New Delhi

Mexican authorities have transferred 37 alleged members of major drug cartels to the United States in the latest move to step up cooperation with the U.S. government in combating cross‑border criminal networks. The handover was confirmed by Mexico’s Security Minister Omar García Harfuch on social media platform X, where he described the detainees as “high impact criminals” posing a serious threat to national security.

Esta mañana el @GabSeguridadMX trasladó a Estados Unidos a 37 operadores de organizaciones criminales que representaban una amenaza real para la seguridad del país.
La acción se ejecutó conforme a la Ley de Seguridad Nacional y bajo mecanismos de cooperación bilateral, con pleno… pic.twitter.com/rBqfVvIIDZ

— Omar H Garcia Harfuch (@OHarfuch) January 20, 2026

This is the third such transfer in less than a year, bringing the total number of suspected cartel figures sent to the U.S. to 92. The move comes amid sustained pressure from the Trump administration, which has repeatedly urged stronger action against Mexican drug trafficking organizations accused of smuggling vast amounts of narcotics into the United States.

Mexican authorities say the latest group includes suspects linked to several powerful cartels, including the Sinaloa, Beltrán‑Leyva, Jalisco New Generation and Northeast cartels. Officials have noted that all those transferred had pending cases or extradition requests from U.S. prosecutors.

Images and video released by Mexican officials show shackled detainees surrounded by armed officers being loaded onto military aircraft part of a coordinated operation to move the suspects to various U.S. jurisdictions.

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While the Trump administration has not publicly commented on the latest transfers, the gesture is seen in Mexico as a demonstration of willingness to collaborate on security challenges that affect both countries. Observers also view the transfers as a way for Mexico to address escalating demands from Washington without direct military involvement on its soil.