They confirm the extradition to the US of Juan Carlos "El Tigre" Bonilla

They accuse former Honduran police chief of drug trafficking 1:56

(CNN Spanish) --

The plenary session of magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice of Honduras confirmed on Wednesday the decision of a judge who authorized the extradition to the United States of the former director of the National Police, Juan Carlos "El Tigre" Bonilla, reported the Honduran Judiciary in a statement.

The ruling of the highest court came after analyzing an appeal filed by Bonilla's defense, according to the bulletin.

Now that the extradition has been granted, the first instance judge will order the delivery of the former official to the US authorities through the institutions of the Executive Power, the document indicated.

• Provisional detention of former police chief Juan Carlos "El Tigre" Bonilla in Honduras

Bonilla will remain under preventive detention in the facilities of the First Infantry Battalion, where he has been since March 10, reported the Judiciary.

The US justice requested the extradition of the former director of the National Police to answer for crimes related to drug trafficking.

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Bonilla has pleaded not guilty on several occasions to the charges against him.

Through the communications department of the Public Defender's Office, the former official's defense told CNN on Wednesday that they will not rule on the Supreme Court's decision and that they will respect it.

Bonilla was director of the Honduran National Police between 2012 and 2013, during the government of Porfirio Lobo Sosa.

Elvin Sandoval contributed to this report.