Ovidio Guzman, the son of incarcerated Mexican drug lord El Chapo, has&nbsp;pleaded not guilty to US fentanyl trafficking charges. 33-year-old Guzman made the plea while appearing&nbsp;before a federal court in Chicago on Monday (September 18), wearing an orange jumpsuit,&nbsp;three days after extradition from Mexico.&nbsp;

Known as&nbsp;"El Raton" or "The Mouse", Guzman is one of&nbsp;El Chapo's four sons and inherited his father's criminal and trafficking empire after he was convicted on&nbsp;murder and drug charges in 2019.&nbsp;El Chapo is currently&nbsp;serving life in a supermax prison in the state of Colorado.

Two of the six counts that Guzman faced in the court, carry a mandatory life sentence. Despite the extent of his crimes, the drug lord's&nbsp;heir will not receive capital punishment after the prosecutors agreed to not pursue the penalty as part of&nbsp;extradition negotiations with Mexico. He will be held without bail until the trial after waving his right to a detention hearing.&nbsp;

Outside the courtroom, Guzman's lawyers told the reporters that his client was&nbsp;"not planning on cooperating against his brothers", who are some of the world's most wanted drug lords.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mexico-drug-lord-son-ovidio-guzman-to-face-drug-smuggling-charges-636620">Watch |&nbsp;Mexico drug lord son Ovidio Guzman to face drug smuggling charges</a>

<h2>Guzman's criminal history&nbsp;</h2>

Guzman was arrested first in 2019 in Culiacan but was released on the orders of the government to avoid bloodshed after the Sinaloa cartel retaliated. He was again captured in January this year following an intense firefight in Sinaloa.&nbsp;

The Joe Biden administration had asked for Guzman's extradition in February so he could face drug charges in a US court.&nbsp;

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Collectively known as&nbsp;Los Chapitos, or “the little Chapos,” the four siblings set up the first fentanyl lab around 2014. Since then, they have&nbsp;"overseen the&nbsp;explosion of their fentanyl trafficking activity and profits", according to the unsealed indictment filed by the prosecutors.&nbsp;

Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that has&nbsp;been responsible for the death of nearly 200 Americans a day, which has led to the straining of ties between the US and Mexico.&nbsp;

Notably, Ovidio&nbsp;was extradited to the US&nbsp;just days after his father's wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, was released from a halfway house in California after serving nearly two years of a three-year prison sentence for drug trafficking and money laundering.

Coronel, 34, who is not Ovidio's mother, is a dual US-Mexican citizen. FBI confirmed she had been released last week&nbsp;from a low-security confinement institution in Los Angeles.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Ovidio Guzman, the son of incarcerated Mexican drug lord El Chapo, has pleaded not guilty to US fentanyl trafficking charges. 33-year-old Guzman made the plea while appearing before a federal court in Chicago on Monday (September 18), wearing an orange jumpsuit, three days after extradition from Mexico.

Ovidio Guzman, the son of incarcerated Mexican drug lord El Chapo, has pleaded not guilty to US fentanyl trafficking charges. 33-year-old Guzman made the plea while appearing before a federal court in Chicago on Monday (September 18), wearing an orange jumpsuit, three days after extradition from Mexico. Known as "El Raton" or "The Mouse", Guzman is one of El Chapo's four sons and inherited his father's criminal and trafficking empire after he was convicted on murder and drug charges in 2019. El Chapo is currently serving life in a supermax prison in the state of Colorado. Two of the six counts that Guzman faced in the court, carry a mandatory life sentence. Despite the extent of his crimes, the drug lord's heir will not receive capital punishment after the prosecutors agreed to not pursue the penalty as part of extradition negotiations with Mexico. He will be held without bail until the trial after waving his right to a detention hearing. Outside the courtroom, Guzman's lawyers told the reporters that his client was "not planning on cooperating against his brothers", who are some of the world's most wanted drug lords. Watch | Mexico drug lord son Ovidio Guzman to face drug smuggling charges Guzman's criminal history Guzman was arrested first in 2019 in Culiacan but was released on the orders of the government to avoid bloodshed after the Sinaloa cartel retaliated. He was again captured in January this year following an intense firefight in Sinaloa. The Joe Biden administration had asked for Guzman's extradition in February so he could face drug charges in a US court. × Collectively known as Los Chapitos, or “the little Chapos,” the four siblings set up the first fentanyl lab around 2014. Since then, they have "overseen the explosion of their fentanyl trafficking activity and profits", according to the unsealed indictment filed by the prosecutors. Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that has been responsible for the death of nearly 200 Americans a day, which has led to the straining of ties between the US and Mexico. Notably, Ovidio was extradited to the US just days after his father's wife, Emma Coronel Aispuro, was released from a halfway house in California after serving nearly two years of a three-year prison sentence for drug trafficking and money laundering. Coronel, 34, who is not Ovidio's mother, is a dual US-Mexican citizen. FBI confirmed she had been released last week from a low-security confinement institution in Los Angeles. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Mexican drug lord El Chapo's son Ovidio Guzman pleads not guilty to US trafficking charges

Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s hippos are being flown to Jesus Maria in the mountains of northwestern Mexico, where another drug lord from Mexico Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and his sons live and where Ovidio "El Raton" Guzman was captured after a fierce firefight in January.

New York Post reported that 10 hippos will be flown from Antioquia, Colombia, to Sinaloa, the Mexican province. Upon landing, they will be taken to Jesús María, the bastion of Guzman.

Their new home will be Ostok Sanctuary — a shelter for animals rescued from species trafficking.

The Ostok Sanctuary is located on the outskirts of Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa — a stronghold of El Chapo&nbsp;who is currently serving a life sentence for murder and drug trafficking at the federal supermax prison in Colorado after his conviction in Brooklyn.

The whole operation of moving the hippos to a new location is being financed by Mexican conservationist Ernesto Zazueta who is shelling out $500,000, according to a report.

The hippos are a small fraction of the dozens in Antioquia, where Escobar is said to have maintained a zoo on his Hacienda Nápoles ranch at of his Medellin Cartel days in the 1980s.

He reportedly brought four hippos as part of a collection of exotic animals like elephants, giraffes, and antelopes at his private zoo.

However, after his death in 1993, these animals were left to roam freely in the marshy area of the Antioquia department.

<h2>Invasive species&nbsp;</h2>

As their population grew to 150, the hippos started polluting soil and water and wiping out native plants in the region.

The officials said that their faeces affected water oxygen levels, lowered the water quality and caused widespread fish fatalities. As a result, they were declared invasive species.

The environmental authorities have been helpless to curb their numbers.

According to a study in Nature journal, their numbers could increase to 1,500 in 20 years. The authorities have tried various methods like using contraceptive darts and other methods to control their population, but these have yielded limited success.&nbsp;

Though most of the other animals were relocated, the hippos were too difficult to transport. The chances of sending them back to Africa is also nil as the experts believe that it might risk upsetting the local ecosystem there.

Meanwhile, 60 of these hippos will be sent to India, CNN had reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s hippos are being flown to Jesus Maria in the mountains of northwestern Mexico, where another drug lord from Mexico Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and his sons live and where Ovidio "El Raton" Guzman was captured after a fierce firefight in January.

Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s hippos are being flown to Jesus Maria in the mountains of northwestern Mexico, where another drug lord from Mexico Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman and his sons live and where Ovidio "El Raton" Guzman was captured after a fierce firefight in January. New York Post reported that 10 hippos will be flown from Antioquia, Colombia, to Sinaloa, the Mexican province. Upon landing, they will be taken to Jesús María, the bastion of Guzman. Their new home will be Ostok Sanctuary — a shelter for animals rescued from species trafficking. The Ostok Sanctuary is located on the outskirts of Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa — a stronghold of El Chapo who is currently serving a life sentence for murder and drug trafficking at the federal supermax prison in Colorado after his conviction in Brooklyn. The whole operation of moving the hippos to a new location is being financed by Mexican conservationist Ernesto Zazueta who is shelling out $500,000, according to a report. The hippos are a small fraction of the dozens in Antioquia, where Escobar is said to have maintained a zoo on his Hacienda Nápoles ranch at of his Medellin Cartel days in the 1980s. He reportedly brought four hippos as part of a collection of exotic animals like elephants, giraffes, and antelopes at his private zoo. However, after his death in 1993, these animals were left to roam freely in the marshy area of the Antioquia department. Invasive species As their population grew to 150, the hippos started polluting soil and water and wiping out native plants in the region. The officials said that their faeces affected water oxygen levels, lowered the water quality and caused widespread fish fatalities. As a result, they were declared invasive species. The environmental authorities have been helpless to curb their numbers. According to a study in Nature journal, their numbers could increase to 1,500 in 20 years. The authorities have tried various methods like using contraceptive darts and other methods to control their population, but these have yielded limited success. Though most of the other animals were relocated, the hippos were too difficult to transport. The chances of sending them back to Africa is also nil as the experts believe that it might risk upsetting the local ecosystem there. Meanwhile, 60 of these hippos will be sent to India, CNN had reported. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Pablo Escobar’s hippos to be flown to Mexico, drug lord El Chapo’s birthplace

The Mexican government said on Friday that 29 people — 10 soldiers and 19 criminal suspects — were killed in the operation to arrest Ovidio Guzman, the son of jailed drug lord El Chapo,&nbsp;the former leader of the Sinaloa cartel. Speaking to reporters, Mexico's secretary of defence Luis Cresencio said, "Ten members of the military... unfortunately lost their lives in the line of duty."&nbsp;

Ovidio Guzman, 32, was caught on Thursday in the Culiacan city and flown to Mexico City on a military plane following six months of intelligence work to track him down, news agency AFP reported.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/violence-grips-mexico-after-the-arrest-of-el-chapos-son-ovidio-guzman-lopez-549882">Violence grips Mexico after the arrest of El Chapo's son Ovidio Guzman Lopez</a>

Guzman had allegedly helped to run El Chapo's operations since he was extradited to the United States in 2017.

The U.S. had put out a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Ovidio Guzman's capture and accused him of being a key player in the Sinaloa cartel. The U.S. has sought his extradition for years.&nbsp;

Guzman's arrest triggered widespread violence in Mexico. His arrest comes ahead of a visit to Mexico by United States President Joe Biden.&nbsp;

However, this is not the first time that El Chapo's son was arrested. In October 2019, a bungled arrest of Guzman by authorities embarrassed the Mexican government and threw light on the challenges in cracking down on cartels, Reuters reported.

At that time, hundreds of cartel members overwhelmed security forces in Culiacan, with scenes of ensuing urban warfare. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador personally ordered Guzman's release to protect the civilian population.&nbsp;

The government has been waging a war against drug cartels for more than 10 years now. The cartels lead supplies of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and many other illicit drugs to the United States. However, the cartels have also established their operations in many European countries including Italy, Germany and France.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexico-authorities-arrest-brother-of-one-of-the-most-wanted-cartel-chief-545027">Mexico: Authorities arrest brother of one of the most wanted cartel chiefs</a>

Apart from Sinaloa, some of the biggest cartels in Mexico include the Los Zetas, the Juárez Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).&nbsp;

CJNG, led by "El Mencho" is perhaps one of the most violent cartels in Mexico. In December last year, El Mencho's brother was arrested in Jalisco in a joint operation conducted by the army, the national guard and other authorities.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

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The Mexican government said on Friday that 29 people — 10 soldiers and 19 criminal suspects — were killed in the operation to arrest Ovidio Guzman, the son of jailed drug lord El Chapo, the former leader of the Sinaloa cartel.

The Mexican government said on Friday that 29 people — 10 soldiers and 19 criminal suspects — were killed in the operation to arrest Ovidio Guzman, the son of jailed drug lord El Chapo, the former leader of the Sinaloa cartel. Speaking to reporters, Mexico's secretary of defence Luis Cresencio said, "Ten members of the military... unfortunately lost their lives in the line of duty." Ovidio Guzman, 32, was caught on Thursday in the Culiacan city and flown to Mexico City on a military plane following six months of intelligence work to track him down, news agency AFP reported. ALSO READ | Violence grips Mexico after the arrest of El Chapo's son Ovidio Guzman Lopez Guzman had allegedly helped to run El Chapo's operations since he was extradited to the United States in 2017. The U.S. had put out a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to Ovidio Guzman's capture and accused him of being a key player in the Sinaloa cartel. The U.S. has sought his extradition for years. Guzman's arrest triggered widespread violence in Mexico. His arrest comes ahead of a visit to Mexico by United States President Joe Biden. However, this is not the first time that El Chapo's son was arrested. In October 2019, a bungled arrest of Guzman by authorities embarrassed the Mexican government and threw light on the challenges in cracking down on cartels, Reuters reported. At that time, hundreds of cartel members overwhelmed security forces in Culiacan, with scenes of ensuing urban warfare. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador personally ordered Guzman's release to protect the civilian population. The government has been waging a war against drug cartels for more than 10 years now. The cartels lead supplies of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and many other illicit drugs to the United States. However, the cartels have also established their operations in many European countries including Italy, Germany and France. ALSO READ | Mexico: Authorities arrest brother of one of the most wanted cartel chiefs Apart from Sinaloa, some of the biggest cartels in Mexico include the Los Zetas, the Juárez Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG). CJNG, led by "El Mencho" is perhaps one of the most violent cartels in Mexico. In December last year, El Mencho's brother was arrested in Jalisco in a joint operation conducted by the army, the national guard and other authorities. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Mexico govt says 29 killed in operation to arrest drug kingpin El Chapo's son