Proceso is Reporting Chino Antrax' Hearing Today

Brussels, Belgium (apro)-The Dutch justice system will issue a ruling on May 29th on the extradition request from the United States for the Mexican drug trafficker José Rodrigo Aréchiga Gamboa, "El Chino Antrax",  confirmed a spokesman for the court in Haarlem [Netherlands], where the case was leaked to Proceso.

The spokeswoman explained that in exercising his rights, the Mexican citizen decided not to attend the single public hearing which will be held this Thursday, May 15 in the afternoon, at the District Court of Haarlem (20 km from Amsterdam).

The same source said that the defendant will be represented in court by a lawyer who is a Dutch national, although it was not specified if it is a public defender, or a professional.

The  Dutch Royal military border police Brigade arrested the 33 year-old criminal upon arrival at the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, on December 30th, when he left the gate  to board a flight leaving for Mexico.

The Dutch prosecutor's office said that Aréchiga Gamboa's capture was due to a request from United States authorities who considered him a suspect of having violated the so-called "Opium Act" existing in that country.

After his arrest,  "El Chino Antrax" was put under police custody in a Dutch jail, and on January 2, was brought before a judge for questioning. Netherlands Justice has 60 days to decide if the Mexican cartel leader will be extradited to the United States, a request that has already been formalized by the Prosecutor's Office of the Southern District of California.

Thus, a federal grand jury in San Diego issued a sealed indictment on December 20th against Arechiga Gamboa,and besides that, in January his US assets were seized.

According to the indictment, 13-CR-4517-DMS, "El Chino Antrax" is accused of distributing controlled substances and of participating in its importation into the United States. The indictment says that the criminal conspired together with other persons to bring methamphetamine and five kilograms [or more] of cocaine, among other substances.

The Department of the Treasury of United States also accused Aréchiga Gamboa of providing protection to Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada and his family and eliminating his enemies, as well as being responsible for the transportation and logistic affairs of the former leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquín "El Chapo Guzmán", and of working  for the drug trafficker Gonzalo Inzunza Inzunza, "Macho Prieto" killed in a clash with the police on December 18, 2013.

View indictment below