After evading U.S. justice for nearly a decade, Rodolfo Junior Aguirre Covarrubias, a Mexican citizen, was arrested in the upscale Puerto Madero neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Aguirre is reportedly wanted by U.S. federal agencies for drug trafficking. His case dates back to 2016, when the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois began prosecuting him after he was formally charged with serious crimes including possession, distribution, and sale of more than 10 kilograms of pure cocaine.
However, despite appearing before a federal judge at the time, he was granted bail by the U.S. justice system. Instead of complying with the court’s conditions, he violated them and fled. By 2017, Illinois authorities had officially changed his status to fugitive.
Aguirre’s capture was made possible through a coordinated effort between civilian and immigration intelligence. Investigators from Argentina’s State Intelligence Secretariat (SIDE), in conjunction with the National Directorate of Migration, detected inconsistencies in Rodolfo Junior’s entry into Argentina. After cross-referencing the real-time alert with Washington databases, they confirmed the existence of an outstanding arrest warrant against him issued by the Illinois court. Interpol immediately issued a red notice for extradition, allowing the deployment of Argentine Federal Police (PFA) and Interpol agents to the Hilton Hotel, days after he had crossed the South American border.
“Argentina is not a haven for criminals. They commit crimes, and they pay the price,” stated Argentina’s Minister of National Security, Alejandra Monteoliva.
So far, it is known that Rodolfo Junior Aguirre Covarrubias remains under maximum security custody in Buenos Aires, awaiting the validation and completion of the corresponding extradition trial by the Argentine justice system to send him back to the Illinois Court.
