SAN DIEGO -- Five suspected top-echelon members of Mexico's illicit drug trade were en route to San Diego Wednesday as part of the largest-ever annual criminal extradition from the Central American nation to the United States.

The defendants were among 10 alleged high-level narcotics traffickers who arrived this morning in Texas, where some of them will be tried, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The other suspects will face prosecution in Southern and Central California, as well as Florida and Georgia.

The following defendants, all of whom are Mexican citizens, will be transferred to San Diego for trial:

Fidel Chan Amador, who is charged with marijuana distribution and importation conspiracies. He allegedly is responsible for the importation of some 11,500 pounds of cannabis seized in the United States from 1996 to 1999 and about eight tons of the contraband narcotic destined for U.S. sales but confiscated by Mexican authorities

Efrain Perez Arciniega, an alleged lieutenant of the Arellano Felix Organization responsible for handling logistics related to the receipt of large cocaine and marijuana shipments

Jesus "Chuy" Labra Aviles, a suspected member of the Arellano Felix gang who was allegedly responsible for shipping thousands of kilograms of cocaine and marijuana from Mexico to the United States from 1986 to 2001

Armando Martinez Duarte, a former member of the Mexican attorney general's office who allegedly served as security chief for the Arellano Felix Organization, protecting its activities from interference by Mexican law enforcement agencies and "policing" the Mexicali area by kidnapping, torturing and murdering the syndicate's enemies

Jorge Aureliano Felix, a former Mexican state judicial police officer who allegedly acted as a top Arellano Felix lieutenant responsible for safeguarding the storage of illicit drugs and for taking delivery of and keeping account of drug proceeds

Each of the latter four suspects is charged with substantive racketeering based on drug and money-laundering crimes; conspiracy to commit racketeering; and other drug-trafficking and money-laundering offenses.

The turning over of the 10 defendants to U.S. authorities brings the total number of 2008 extraditions out of Mexico to 95, the highest annual number to date, surpassing last year's then-record tally of 83, according to the Justice Department.