'El Chapo' to be extradited to the United States

MEXICO CITY, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman will be extradited to the United States, according to Mexico's attorney general.

Attorney General Arely Gomez's office confirmed Saturday shortly after Guzman's capture: "Since Guzman Loera has been recaptured, the beginning of the extradition proceedings should begin."

CNN reported the United States sought extradition on June 16 of last year -- before Guzman had escaped a Mexican prison the following month. The escape was Guzman's second.

Guzman was lured out of hiding by a promise of fame and glory on the silver screen, the Mexican attorney general said.

Gomez told reporters Guzman sought contact with various members of the film industry with hopes of selling the rights to a biographical film about his life.

"He established communication with actors and producers, which has formed a new line of investigation," she said during a press conference.

Gomez said meetings with lawyers and other associates also assisted authorities in tracking Guzman. Security forces even came close to capturing the drug lord in October, but the operation was called off because Guzman was accompanied by two women and a child.

"The re-apprehension of this criminal and his accomplice is the result of a deep work of intelligence, investigation and coordination between the different institutions of security and of the government," Gomez said.

Guzman's capture at a motel in Los Mochis, Mexico on Friday marked the end of a six-month hunt after he escaped from the maximum-security Altiplano Federal Prison in July.

Guzman was taken back to the same Mexican maximum-security prison.