Son of notorious drug lord El Chapo, Ovidio Guzmán, denies charges with a plea of not guilty

Ovidio Guzmán, the son of imprisoned Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, has entered a not guilty plea to drug-trafficking and money-laundering charges in the United States. The 33-year-old was extradited from Mexico to the US on Friday. His arrest earlier this year resulted in a violent confrontation between security forces and cartel members, resulting in the deaths of 30 individuals. Ovidio Guzmán, also known as "El Ratón" (The Mouse), is facing five charges, including conspiring to import fentanyl into the US. He appeared in court dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit and pled not guilty during a brief 15-minute hearing. The next court hearing is scheduled for November. Fentanyl, an extremely potent synthetic opioid, has become the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 49. The illegal fentanyl trade has had devastating consequences in the US. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has identified the Sinaloa drugs cartel, founded by El Chapo Guzmán, as a major source of illicit fentanyl smuggled into the United States. Following El Chapo's arrest and extradition in 2016, his four sons, known as Los Chapitos (Little Chapos), have allegedly taken on leadership roles within the cartel. Ovidio Guzmán's arrest and subsequent release in 2019 led to significant violence in Mexico. To prevent further bloodshed, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador ordered his release. However, he was apprehended again in January, during a major security operation that saw him transported from Sinaloa to Mexico City in a helicopter due to concerns that Sinaloa operatives might attempt to free him from a prison van.