NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� The governor of Sinaloa and nine other current and former Mexican officials were charged with drug trafficking and weapons offenses in a U.S. indictment unsealed Wednesday in New York, accused of aiding in the massive importation of illicit narcotics into the United States.
U.S. federal officials announced the charges in a news release. None of the defendants were in custody.
Those charged in Manhattan federal court are current and former government or law enforcement officials in Sinaloa, including Rub茅n Rocha Moya, who has been governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state since November 2021.
Rocha was a staunch ally of former President Andr茅s Manuel L贸pez Obrador and of his 鈥淗ugs, Not Bullets鈥� policy, which involved avoiding direct confrontation with drug cartels.
Rocha, the highest profile official charged, said he 鈥渃ategorically and completely rejects鈥� the accusations and said they were baseless. The official called the charges as an 鈥渁ttack鈥� on Mexico鈥檚 ruling party and its leaders.
鈥淚t is part of a perverse strategy to violate (Mexico鈥檚) constitutional order, specifically on national sovereignty,鈥� he wrote in a post on X on Wednesday afternoon. 鈥淲e will show them that this slander doesn鈥檛 have any sort of foundation.鈥�
Some of those named, according to the indictment, have themselves participated in the Sinaloa Cartel’s campaign of violence and retribution.
The indictment alleged that they were closely aligned with the faction of the Sinaloa Cartel, known in Mexico as the Cartel de Sinaloa, which is run by the sons of , the ex-cartel leader now serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison.
Authorities said the defendants have played essential roles in helping the Sinaloa Cartel ship fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States. The Sinaloa Cartel is among eight Latin American crime groups designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S.
In a release, U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton called the Sinaloa Cartel 鈥渁 ruthless criminal organization that has flooded this community with dangerous drugs for decades.鈥�
He added: 鈥淎s 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.鈥�
The indictment 鈥渆xposes a deliberate effort to undermine public institutions and put American lives at risk,鈥� said Terrance Cole, the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The charged officials 鈥渦sed positions of trust to protect cartel operations, enabling a pipeline of deadly drugs into our country.鈥�
Among those indicted, at least three officials 鈥�- Rocha, the governor, the mayor of Sinaloa鈥檚 capital, and a senator -鈥� were affiliated with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum鈥檚 party, Morena. A number of other officials held positions unaffiliated with Mexican parties.
The charges come after U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ron Johnson last week said that the U.S. administration would launch an anti-corruption campaign targeting Mexican officials he said were linked to organized crime.
“Corruption not only hinders progress, it distorts it. It increases costs, weakens competition, and erodes the trust upon which markets depend. It is not a problem without victims,鈥� Johnson said.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded Monday by saying that her government has not seen 鈥渁ny evidence鈥� of the charges of corruption.
鈥淎ny investigation in the United States against any person in Mexico must have evidence reviewed by the (Mexican) Attorney General鈥檚 Office,鈥� Sheinbaum said.
U.S. prosecutors previously brought drug trafficking charges against a former Mexican cabinet member, Genaro Garc铆a Luna, who was accused of taking bribes to help the Sinaloa Cartel while he was supposedly combating it as his country鈥檚 public security secretary. Garc铆a Luna was convicted in 2023 and was sentenced to more than 38 years in prison. He denied the allegations and is appealing his conviction.
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Associated Press writers Megan Janetsky, Mar铆a Verza and Fabiola S谩nchez reported from Mexico City while AP writer Jennifer Peltz contributed from New York.
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