Mexico says drug lords sent to US over 'national security'

Mexico handed over 29 alleged drug lords to the United States for reasons of national security and outside the countries' extradition treaty. The transfer of Mexican drug lords to US was for national security reasons said Mexico's attorney general Alejandro Gertz Manero on Friday.

During a press conference in Mexico City, he told the reporters that "Article five of the National Security Law establishes the conditions under which, for the security of country and in accordance with a duly substantiated request from the government of the United States, this decision was made".

The surprise handover came as Mexico scrambles to seal a deal with Washington to avoid being hit with trade duties that Trump has linked to illegal migration and drug flows.