Mexico’s Sinaloa state Governor Ruben Rocha Moya and nine other current and former government and law enforcement officials were indicted on allegations of working with the Sinaloa Cartel to smuggle illegal drugs into the U.S.
Rocha, 76, and several other codefendants were indicted on Wednesday, April 29, in a New York federal court on several drug and gun charges, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terrance C. Cole announced in a news release.
“The Sinaloa Cartel is a ruthless criminal organization that has flooded this community with dangerous drugs for decades,” Clayton said in a statement. “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 support of corrupt foreign officials for deadly trafficking of drugs must end. Let these charges send a clear message to all officials around the globe who work with narco-traffickers: no matter your title or position, we are committed to bringing you to justice.”
Rocha was elected governor of Sinaloa in 2021 with alleged help from a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel run by the sons of founder Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, known as “Los Chapitos.” Guzman is currently serving a life sentence in the U.S. after being convicted on drug trafficking and other criminal charges in 2019.
Los Chapitos allegedly helped Rocha get elected by kidnapping and intimidating his rivals, U.S. officials said. Roach, in exchange for Los Chapitos’ help, allegedly “attended meetings with the Chapitos, at which he promised to protect the Chapitos as they distributed massive quantities of drugs to the United States,” officials said.
As governor, Rocha allegedly allowed the Chapitos to operate with impunity in Sinaloa.
The Sinaloa Cartel “is one of the most violent criminal organizations in the world and has transformed the Mexican State of Sinaloa into the geographic epicenter of the global narcotics trade,” U.S. officials said.
Rocha’s office said it had not yet been notified of the accusations and had no further information, Reuters reported.
He was indicted on charges of narcotics importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
“Corruption that enables organized crime and harms both our countries will be investigated and prosecuted wherever U.S. jurisdiction applies,” the U.S. Embassy in Mexico said in a separate statement after the indictment was announced, Reuters reported.
Roach is facing up to life in prison if convicted. He and the other nine defendants are believed to be in Mexico and are not in U.S. custody, officials said.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla is presiding over the case in the Southern District of New York in New York City.
Current, former Mexico leaders indicted on drug, gun charges
Roach and the nine other defendants have joined 30 other members and associates of the Sinaloa Cartel in being indicted in the case since 2023.
The nine other defendants indicted on Wednesday include:
All of the men were indicted on charges of narcotics importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices. They all face life in prison if convicted.
Millan was also indicted on charges of kidnapping resulting in death and conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death.
The kidnapping charges involve Millan allegedly participating in the kidnappings of a “DEA confidential source and the source’s relative, who the Chapitos then had tortured and killed, because the source was suspected of providing information to the government in connection with this investigation,” the news release states.
“The Sinaloa Cartel is not just trafficking deadly drugs, it is a designated terrorist organization that relies on corruption and bribery to drive violence and profit,” Cole said in a statement. “This indictment exposes a deliberate effort to undermine public institutions and put American lives at risk. The defendants allegedly used positions of trust to protect cartel operations, enabling a pipeline of deadly drugs into our country.
“No one is above the law. We are grateful for our U.S. and Mexican partners who choose integrity every day and stand with us to safeguard our communities. Together, we will continue to apply sustained pressure against the Sinaloa Cartel and the networks that support it to protect the American people and save lives.”
Mexico government, law enforcement leaders allegedly aided Sinaloa Cartel
The indictment alleges that Mexican government and law enforcement leaders participated in a corrupt and violent drug trafficking conspiracy with the Sinaloa Cartel to import massive amounts of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine from Mexico into the U.S.
The defendants allegedly aided the cartel in a variety of essential roles, including:
“In exchange, the defendants have collectively received millions of dollars in drug money from the cartel,” U.S. officials said. “Certain of the defendants are also alleged to have themselves directly participated in the cartel’s campaign of violence and retribution.”
The news release highlights Millan’s alleged dealings with the drug cartel.
Millan is accused of receiving more than $1,600 each month from Los Chapitos. In exchange, he gave the cartel “unfettered access to the Culiacan Municipal Police and used officers from the police force to help the Chapitos maintain their control over Culiacan, including through arrests, kidnappings, and murder,” U.S. officials said.
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com.
Reuters reporters Kylie Madry and Luc Cohen contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: US charges Mexican governor, 9 others; alleges Sinaloa Cartel ties
Reporting by Aaron Martinez, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
