Washington on Thursday welcomed the arrest Wednesday in Mexico of a drug trafficker and alleged assassin of the powerful Sinaloa cartel, whose extradition US authorities hope will be speedy.

“I want to thank (Mexican President Andres Manuel) López Obrador, the Mexican military and special forces for capturing El Niño and salute the brave men and women of the Mexican security forces who carried out this operation.” ” President Biden said in a statement.

Nestor Isidro Perez Salas or “El Nini” is a close associate of one of the sons of drug lord Joaquin Guzman or “El Chapo”, who is serving a life sentence in the United States.

He was arrested in the city of Culiacan, in northwestern Mexico.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in another press release that Washington wants his “speedy extradition” to bring him to US justice.

He described “El Nini” as “one of the Sinaloa Cartel’s top killers or ‘sicarios’ who, together with his men, have “killed, tortured and kidnapped opponents, witnesses and others opposed to the ‘Chapitos’.”

The sons of “El Chapo” are called “Chapitos”.