MADRID, Spain. – On October 23, the Cuban government extradited Chinese national Zhi Dong Zhang, alias “Brother Wang,” to Mexico, following his arrest in Havana on July 31, 2025, as confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba (MINREX). Later that same Thursday, Mexico handed him over to U.S. authorities, where he faces charges of drug trafficking and money laundering.
In its official statement, MINREX stated that Zhang was arrested in Cuba “for the alleged crimes of document forgery and human trafficking,” and that his handover to Mexico was in response to “a formal extradition request.” The brief statement made no mention of the drug trafficking charges against him outside the Island.
Mexican Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch described Cuba’s cooperation in Zhang’s capture and extradition as “valuable” in a post on X. He also confirmed that after his extradition to Mexico, the trafficker was transferred to the United States, where he is wanted on charges related to international drug trafficking.
Zhang, identified by Mexican and U.S. authorities as the leader of a network dedicated to smuggling fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamines, fled Mexico on July 11, 2025, after being granted house arrest. Before arriving in Cuba with false documentation, he attempted to enter Russia, but was denied entry.
Investigations link him to the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, as well as to money laundering operations totaling around $150 million. According to reports, his organization used more than 150 shell companies and at least 170 bank accounts to launder money, along with a code system: “coffee” to refer to fentanyl and “food” to cocaine.
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