Former Honduran president arrested in US, extradited

Former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez center, wearing a blue protective face mask and handcuffed, is escorted under heavy guard to a waiting aircraft at the Air Force base in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, April 21, 2022. ELMER MARTINEZ AP TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras -- Former President Juan Orlando Hernandez was arrested Thursday in the United States, where he will face charges of drug trafficking.

He was transferred by helicopter from the Los Cobras police headquarters on the outskirts of the Honduran capital to the Hernan Acosta Mejia airbase in Tegucigalpa, where agents from the US Drug Enforcement Administration were waiting for him.

His transfer was accompanied by a strong police ground and air operation.

Honduran Judge Edwin Francisco Ortez granted the extradition request on March 16, after evaluating the evidence presented by the Court of the Southern District of New York and Hernandez's lawyers.

Hernandez faces charges of conspiracy to import a controlled substance into the United States, manufacturing and distributing a controlled substance with the intent and knowledge that substance would be illegally imported into the United States, and with the intent to distribute a controlled substance aboard an aircraft registered on the US soil.

He is also charged with weapons violations.

READ MORE: Police detain ex-Honduras president Hernandez as US seeks extradition as a result of his arrest.

Hernandez's family said Wednesday night a team of lawyers was hired in the United States to defend the ex-president.

Some 32 people linked to drug traffickers have been extradited to the United States since 2014 by Honduras.