Accused fentanyl kingpin dubbed

[ad_1] A Chinese language drug trafficking suspect who escaped custody in Mexico solely to be recaptured in Cuba has been turned over to the U.S. to face fees he trafficked massive portions of cocaine and fentanyl into the nation.

Zhi Dong Zhang, often known as "Brother Wang" amongst different aliases, pleaded not responsible to the costs at his arraignment Wednesday in Brooklyn federal courtroom. His lawyer declined to remark following the courtroom look.

Federal officers say Zhang ran an enormous drug trafficking and cash laundering operation that imported hundreds of kilos of narcotics into the USA and different international locations.

"The defendant stands accused of operating a worldwide enterprise that pumped huge portions of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine into our communities and laundered tens of millions in narcotics proceeds," U.S. Deputy Lawyer Basic Todd Blanche stated in an announcement. "His return to the USA is a significant step in dismantling a community that has fueled dependancy, violence, and demise."

Zhang's prison group operated out of Mexico going again at the very least to 2016 and laundered its drug proceeds by shell firms created within the U.S. utilizing false social safety numbers and different fraudulent paperwork, based on federal prosecutors.

Officers recognized greater than 100 shell firms tied to Zhang's group that had been used to launder at the very least $77 million in narcotics proceeds, they stated.

Mexican authorities captured Zhang in Mexico Metropolis in October 2024 on the request of the U.S. authorities, however a decide granted him home arrest and he escaped the house the place he was being held below navy guard. Prosecutors say in courtroom filings that he was ultimately recaptured in Cuba and despatched to the U.S. by Mexican authorities on Oct. 23.

Final month, Mexican Safety Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch posted a photograph on social media, displaying a handcuffed Zhang subsequent to an airplane, escorted by Interpol brokers.

Resultado de labores de investigación, cooperación internacional y coordinación, el 30 de octubre de 2024 autoridades mexicanas del @GabSeguridadMX detuvieron en la Ciudad de México a Zhi Dong “N”, identificado como responsable del tráfico internacional de droga, lavado de dinero… pic.twitter.com/0J3ieN3uE3

— Omar H Garcia Harfuch (@OHarfuch) October 24, 2025

A needed poster launched by Mexican prosecutors in July stated that along with "Brother Wang," Zhang has a number of different aliases, together with "BW," "Pancho," "HeHe" and "Mr. T."

Zhang, who has been detained till his subsequent courtroom date in January, additionally faces a associated set of federal fees in Georgia.

Authorities paperwork filed in that case describe a cocaine and fentanyl trafficking community with hubs within the Atlanta and Los Angeles metro areas. Thousands and thousands of {dollars} from the drug gross sales had been allegedly collected at stash homes in Georgia and California and deposited into accounts that Zhang may then entry from Mexico, the paperwork stated.

He's accused of laundering at the very least $20 million within the U.S. between 2020 and 2021 by utilizing greater than 100 shell firms and financial institution accounts, El Pais reported.