The fight to jail Brother Wang, the Chinese fentanyl kingpin

"Accused of moving thousands of kilograms of drugs and laundering millions of dollars through a criminal organization with tentacles around the world, Zhang was arrested last fall in Mexico City. He is a priority target for the United States, and everything seemed set for his imminent extradition. But this past summer he escaped, and began a journey through several countries in a desperate attempt to escape U.S. justice."

"Mexican official sources have confirmed to EL PAIS that Brother Wang, one of his aliases, is currently in Cuba, where he arrived with a false passport after being denied entry into Russia for the same reason. Mexico is waiting for Cuban authorities to complete his interrogation before receiving him in Mexico and, according to the same sources, automatically deporting him to the United States."

Mexico is intensifying efforts to take custody of Zhi Dong Zhang, who remains detained in Cuba after being expelled from Russia. Zhang was recaptured on July 11, 2025 and previously escaped house arrest in Mexico City while under military custody. U.S. authorities prioritize Zhang for alleged leadership of a criminal network that trafficked thousands of kilograms of drugs and laundered millions of dollars, working with the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels since at least 2016. The organization reportedly operated from Los Angeles and Atlanta and had ties across Central and South America, Europe, and Asia. Mexico is awaiting Cuban interrogation completion before receiving and deporting him to the United States.

Read at english.elpais.com