Zhi Dong Zhang: Cuba extradites alleged fentanyl trafficker to Mexico

The Cuban Government confirmed this Thursday the extradition to Mexico of the Chinese citizen Zhi Dong ‘N’supposed fentanyl dealer on a large scale, detained on the island since the end of July.

He Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed in a statement that it had handed over to the Mexican authorities, following a formal extradition request, this person, known as “Brother Wang” and priority objective of the United States’ fight against drugs.

According to the Cuban Foreign Ministry, He was arrested on July 31 for the alleged crimes of document falsification and human trafficking in Cuba, but not for drug trafficking crimes. Since then he has been in provisional prison.

“He was a fugitive from the Mexican authorities since July 2025, a country where he was serving a sentence for crimes associated with international drug trafficking”says the Foreign Affairs statement.

The Mexican authorities confirmed this Tuesday that they expected Cuba to soon send the detainee back to the country, from where he escaped last July.

LEE: SRE demands investigation into Mexican tiktoker Ricardo Parias, shot in raid

Zhang escaped in July 2025 of house arrest in Mexico City, where he was under house arrest in the custody of the National Guard awaiting his extradition process to the United States.

The extradited person is being investigated in USA for fentanyl smuggling, within the battle against drug trafficking that the President’s Administration has launched Donald Trump.

Zhang is accused of money laundering 150 million dollars for Mexican gangs and smuggling large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine.

According to official Mexican sources, days after his escape, Brother Wang tried to enter Russia, but the authorities of that country denied him entry due to a false passport. He was later deported to Cuba, where he was arrested.

Mexico immediately began diplomatic actions to ensure his return to the country to face justice.

In October 2024, the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic (FGR) completed an arrest warrant against Zhang for the purposes of international extradition, for his probable responsibility in crimes of criminal association, international distribution of cocaine and operations with resources of illicit origin.

The investigation revealed that Zhang operated a global drug trafficking and money laundering network, with links to the Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generación cartels, classified as terrorist organizations by Washington.

The President, Claudia Sheinbaum, expressed concern about Zhang’s escape, pointing out possible irregularities in the judicial process that allowed his escape.

EE