The notorious drug chief "El Chapo" is preparing for a trial in New York: NPR

Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, accused of leading the world's largest drug trafficking organization, is about to see his life unfold in a US court. The selection of the jury began Monday in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The infamous drug lord, already convicted of crimes in Mexico, is accused in the United States of running a criminal enterprise, distributing cocaine and laundering the proceeds, among other alleged crimes. The indictment, which counts 17 counts and which extends over several decades, alleges that the Guzmán cartel has shipped tons of drugs from South America. in the United States, then illegally transferred billions of dollars in profits to Mexico.

According to the indictment, the leaders of the cartel Sinaloa de Guzmán "have used" sicarios ", who have committed hundreds of acts of violence, including murders, assaults, kidnappings, killings and torture Guzmán pleaded not guilty in 2017 after his extradition from Mexico.

The identities of the selected jurors will be anonymous and partially sequestered. As NPR's Vanessa Romo pointed out, the judge made this decision earlier this year "with the goal of protecting the integrity of the lawsuit and alleviating any fear of harassment or harassment." intimidation on the part of the jurors ".

Guzmán's lawyer, Jeffrey Lichtman, said his client was ready to start the trial, according to Carrie Kahn of NPR. "The co-conspirators of September 11 have been maintained in better conditions than Mr. Guzmán, so he is happy to be able to get out of the 23-hour block with very little human contact," Lichtman said.

Before his extradition, Guzmán escaped from prison in Mexico – twice.

"In 2015, he came out through a long tunnel with a motorcycle track under what was supposed to be the safest prison in the country," Kahn said. "During his freedom, he secretly met with actor Sean Penn, who wrote about the meeting for Rolling stone magazine."

"I supply more heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana than anyone in the world," Guzmán was quoted as saying in the interview. "I have a fleet of submarines, planes, trucks and boats."

The identity of those who testify against Guzmán is expurgated in court documents, as reported by the Associated Press. Press services add that "according to court documents, some are detained in special prison units for their protection, while others participate in witness protection programs".

US prosecutors are seeking a life sentence for Guzmán and a confiscation of at least $ 14 billion. According to the New York Times, they intend to present evidence showing that Guzmán has been involved in at least 33 murders.

The judge, Brian M. Cogan, would have expressed his frustration at the amount of evidence that such a large number of murders would imply.

"This is a case of drug-related conspiracy involving murders," Cogan said at a recent hearing, according to the report. Time. "I will not let you judge by a conspiracy case of murder involving drugs … Take your best shot and cut the rest."

The courthouse itself is under high security, and physically transporting Guzmán to Brooklyn from a federal prison in Manhattan turns out to be complicated, as reported by the AP.

"During the pre-trial hearings, the authorities chose to transport him from prison by closing the Brooklyn Bridge to make room for a police parade consisting of a SWAT team and an ambulance, all followed by helicopters," the spokesman said. Press service.

The judge said that there would be "adjustments" during the trial, according to the AP, with speculation that Guzmán would be temporarily detained elsewhere.