Zhi Dong Zhang, accused of trafficking tons of fentanyl and laundering millions of US Dollars, was extradited to the United States after his recapture in Cuba.
Mexico has extradited an alleged Chinese fentanyl trafficker to the United States, where he faces multiple charges of drug smuggling and money laundering in one of the most significant cases linking Asian and Latin American narcotics networks.
The suspect, Zhi Dong Zhang, was handed over to U.S. authorities on Thursday October 23, 2025, according to Mexico’s National Security Minister Omar García Harfuch, who announced the move on Thursday.
Zhang, known by the alias “Brother Wang,” is accused of exporting, transporting, and distributing massive quantities of narcotics — including more than 1,800 kilograms of fentanyl and 1,000 kilograms of cocaine — while laundering an estimated $150 million annually in illicit proceeds, court documents show.
Investigators say Zhang built a global trafficking operation spanning the United States, Central America, Europe, China, and Japan, forging ties with Mexican criminal organizations to smuggle synthetic drugs across borders.
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He was first arrested in Mexico last October and placed under house arrest pending extradition. However, in July 2025, Zhang escaped custody and fled the country before being recaptured in Cuba. Harfuch thanked Havana for its “valuable cooperation” in securing the fugitive’s return.
“Today he was handed over to the United States authorities,” Harfuch confirmed in a statement on X .
The U.S. Department of Justice has not yet commented on Zhang’s arrival.
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid far more potent than heroin, has become the leading cause of overdose deaths in the United States, claiming tens of thousands of lives annually. Washington has repeatedly accused Beijing of failing to control the export of precursor chemicals used in its production.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to raise the issue directly with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his upcoming Asia visit, calling fentanyl “a top priority” in bilateral discussions.
“The first question I’m going to ask him about is fentanyl,” Trump told reporters. “I’m putting it right at the front of the list.”
China’s Foreign Ministry responded that it was “not aware of the specific situation” regarding Zhang’s case but rejected U.S. accusations of negligence, calling them an attempt at political “blackmail.”
The extradition marks a rare moment of cooperation among Mexico, Cuba, and the United States in combating the global narcotics trade.
Africa Daily News, New York
