10 Mexican officials indicted in US for ties to Sinaloa Cartel

Ten current or former Mexican government and law enforcement officials from Sinaloa state have been indicted in the United States on charges including corruption, bribery, and drug and arms smuggling. The defendants include Governor Rubén Rocha Moya, Mayor Juan de Dios Gámez Mendívil of Culiacán, and former Secretary of Public Security Gerardo Mérida Sánchez. Mérida Sánchez appeared in a US court on Friday after his arrest in Arizona, becoming the first of the ten to face a judge. He faces charges of narcotics importation conspiracy and possession of machine guns, with a potential sentence of 40 years to life. The indictment alleges that the officials took bribes to assist the Sinaloa Cartel in smuggling drugs into the US. Mérida Sánchez served as Secretary of Public Security from September 2023 until December 2024, overseeing the Sinaloa State Police. Rocha Moya and Gámez Mendívil have announced temporary leaves of absence but have not yet been apprehended. The case highlights ongoing US-Mexico cooperation against corruption and drug trafficking.