Mexico says it will extradite the leader of a Tijuana-based drug cartelto the United States - where he is wanted on five charges, includingdrug trafficking, money laundering, organized crime and racketeering.
TheMexican attorney general's office said Wednesday the Mexican governmenthas agreed to extradite Benjamin Arellano Felix, who faces trial in aU.S. federal court in California.
The decision overturns aMexican judge's opinion that a trial in the United States would meantrying him on the same charges twice. The attorney general's officesaid the charges against Arellano Felix in the United States aredifferent than the charges he was tried for in Mexico.
Arellano Felix's defense attorney says he will appeal the order within 15 days.
ArellanoFelix headed a powerful Tijuana-based drug cartel, just across the U.S.border from San Diego, California, until his arrest in 2002. He isaccused of smuggling tons of cocaine into California between 1990 and2000.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has deployed some24,000 troops and federal agents across the country to battle drugtraffickers.
Authorities have cracked down on the Arellano Felix drug cartel, arresting or killing the brothers who took turns running it.