THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A Dutch court has approved the extradition of a suspected top enforcer in the Sinaloa Cartel to face drug trafficking charges in Southern California.

The North Holland Court ruled Wednesday that the extradition of Jose Rodrigo Arechiga Gamboa was legal based on a request from U.S. authorities.

Arechiga, who was not in court for the decision, can appeal, a process that could take months.

He was detained late last year at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, one of a series of arrests leading up to the capture of Sinaloa leader Joaquin Guzman, known as “El Chapo.”

According to local media, Arechiga is also known as “El Chino Antrax,” one of the two leaders of a group of hit men who call themselves the Anthrax, after the deadly disease.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.