Mexican national arrested in Guatemala for fentanyl trafficking

Guatemalan authorities have arrested Jorge Rubén Michel Monroy, a 57-year-old Mexican national, in Guatemala City. Michel Monroy faces an extradition request from the United States to stand trial in the Southern District of New York.

According to the Guatemalan Public Ministry and the National Civil Police (PNC), Michel Monroy is accused of conspiracy to import narcotics. Investigations suggest he facilitated the trafficking of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and methamphetamine intended for New York and other locations in the U.S.

The arrest took place in Zone 10 of Guatemala City during an operation involving the Subdirectorate General of Anti-Narcotics Information Analysis (SGIA). Authorities seized three mobile phones and a charger during the operation. This arrest brings the total number of individuals detained for extradition in Guatemala during 2026 to 38, with 24 of those cases related to narcotics offenses.