A man accused of working as a Mexican cartel enforcer responsible for “rampant violence” in Tijuana has been extradited to San Diego, officials said Thursday.
Edgar Herrera Pardo, 35, was originally named in a 2019 federal indictment for his alleged role in Los Cabos, a group of enforcers the U.S. Attorney’s Office says worked in the border region to ensure that drug trafficking continued unabated for Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación.
Herrera Pardo, also known by the moniker El Caimán – or the alligator – was arrested in Mexico about four months after he was indicted and had been in custody there until Wednesday, when he arrived in San Diego.
“According to the government’s allegations, Herrera Pardo and his group of enforcers unleashed appalling violence on Tijuana on behalf of a powerful drug cartel that is responsible for moving large quantities of illicit drugs into the U.S.,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman in a statement.
Authorities allege that Herrera Pardo was one of Los Cabos’ leaders. The group is accused of planning more than 150 murders over the course of approximately six months.
Prosecutors also allege that Los Cabos is responsible for the 2018 slayings of teen-agers in Tijuana – at least two of them from San Diego – as well as the killings of at least three police officers.
– City News Service