Former Mexican drug cartel leader who generated 'new era' of organized crime is released from US prison
SUMMARY
Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, a former leader of Mexico's Gulf cartel and creator of the Zetas, has been released from a U.S. prison and may soon be deported to Mexico. Known for initiating a "new era of organized crime" and escalating cartel violence, Cárdenas Guillén was sentenced to 25 years in 2010 for threatening federal agents and had $50 million of his assets seized. His release into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody hints at pending deportation to Mexico, where he faces two arrest warrants. As the Zetas' founder, Cárdenas Guillén is blamed for brutal tactics, including mass killings and decapitations. His 1999 confrontation with DEA agents in Matamoros, where he threatened to kill them, exemplifies his notorious reign. Cárdenas Guillén's influence continues to be felt in Mexico's ongoing cartel violence.
