Mexico Extradites ‘Brothel King’ to Argentina to Face Trafficking Charges

Cancún, Quintana Roo — Raúl Luis Martins, the Argentine former intelligence agent and businessman known as “El Rey del Burdel” (The Brothel King), has been extradited to Argentina to face charges of human trafficking, criminal association, and money laundering.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office (FGR) carried out the handover at Cancún International Airport, where Argentine agents took custody of Martins and flew him to Buenos Aires. The extradition was completed under the Mexico-Argentina treaty after a decade of legal proceedings.

Alleged criminal network

Martins is wanted by the National Criminal and Correctional Federal Court No. 1 in Buenos Aires, which accuses him of leading an organization that sexually exploited women between November 2010 and 2019 through businesses operating under various trade names. Prosecutors also allege that he built a criminal structure with operations in both Argentina and Mexico, using extortion to maintain control over his activities.

Zona Divas and cartel links

Martins gained notoriety in Mexico through his ties to Zona Divas, an online platform linked to sexual services that was investigated for exploitation. His own daughter testified that she was aware of her father’s relationship with drug trafficking, and he has been publicly linked to Los Zetas and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG).

Decade-long legal battle

Martins spent roughly 10 years in detention in Cancún, during which his defense filed numerous amparo injunctions and other legal motions to prevent his extradition. The FGR said it challenged those appeals and obtained favorable rulings that allowed the transfer to proceed.

Martins will now face the Argentine judicial system on the charges against him. His transfer comes shortly after Mexico also completed the return of Fernando Farías Laguna from Argentina, though the cases are unrelated.