The era of looking the other way while Mexican officials facilitate the flow of poison into American communities is over. In a bold move, US prosecutors in New York have indicted Rúben Rocha Moya, the sitting governor of the Mexican state of Sinaloa, for conspiring with the notorious Sinaloa Cartel.
This indictment, which also targets nine other current and former Mexican officials including a senator, a mayor, and a high-ranking police officer, exposes the rot at the heart of the Mexican political establishment.
According to the indictment, these officials abused their positions of power to shield the 'Los Chapitos' faction of the cartel in exchange for bribes and political support. DEA Administrator Terrance Cole rightly identified the Sinaloa Cartel as a terrorist organization that relies on these corrupt officials to maintain its operations.
US Attorney Jay Clayton noted that these criminal organizations would not operate with such impunity if they didn't have politicians and law enforcement on their payroll.
While the Mexican government has predictably attempted to dismiss the charges by claiming a lack of evidence, the Trump administration’s aggressive strategy is clearly aimed at dismantling the corruption that enables the cartel's deadly pipeline into the United States.
This rare and significant indictment serves as a warning that the United States will no longer tolerate the complicity of foreign officials in the destruction of our own neighborhoods.
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