Genaro García Luna, former Secretary of Public Security of Mexico, was declared guilty of drug trafficking this Tuesday in a United States court.
One of the highest-ranking law enforcement officials in Mexico was convicted by a federal jury in Brooklyn of participating in a continuing criminal enterprise and receive millionaire cash bribes fromcartel of Sinaloa, as reported by astatementofficer of the Attorney General's Office for the Eastern District of New York.
García Luna was found guilty of thefive charges against him for his participation in an ongoing criminal enterprise that includes six drug-related violations, conspiracy to distribute cocaine internationally, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to import cocaine, and making false statements.
The verdict was handed down after four weeks of trial before District Judge Brian M. Cogan. For the accusations for which he was convicted this Tuesday, Luna faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment.
"García Luna, who once stood at the pinnacle of law enforcement in Mexico, will now live out the rest of his days having been revealed as a traitor to his country and to the honest members of law enforcement who risked their lives. to dismantle drug cartels," said Breon Peace, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
Peace added in the statement that García Luna accepted millions of dollars "stained with the blood of cartel wars and drug-related battles on the streets of the United States and Mexico" to protect criminals he claimed to investigate.
"Today's conviction of Genaro García Luna clearly demonstrates that the DEA will stop at nothing to pursue thecorrupt political officials who are dedicated to drug trafficking and violence"said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram.
The investigation conducted by US agents exposed that from 2006 to 2012, García Luna was the person most responsible for law enforcement in Mexico, holding the position of Secretary of Public Security and, as such, controlling the Federal Police of Mexico.
During those years, García Luna facilitated the safe passage of the cartel's drug shipments, provided sensitive information to security forces about the criminal group's investigations and helped it attack rival cartels, thus facilitating the importation of quantities of several tons. of cocaine and other drugs to the United States.
The evidence included testimony from former high-ranking members of the Sinaloa cartel with direct knowledge of the defendant's corrupt activities.
According to the information revealed, the accused's Federal Police acted as bodyguards and escorts for the cartel, allowing its members to wear police uniforms and insignia, and helped unload shipments of cocaine from planes at the Mexico City airport, to then deliver the cocaine to the cartel.
García Luba, according to the verdict, was paid in US currency - $100 bills in bundles of $10,000 at times - stuffed into suitcases, briefcases and duffel bags. The bribe amounts increased over the years as the Sinaloa group grew in size and power thanks to the former secretary's help.
Some former cartel members testified that bribe money was delivered to various locations, including a "safe house" in Mexico City, where it was hidden in a false wall, a car wash in Guadalajara, and a French restaurant. of Mexico City located in front of the United States Embassy.
Finally, after moving to the United States in 2012, García Luna filed for naturalization in 2018, in which he lied about his past criminal conduct in an attempt to become a U.S. citizen.
García Luna's other accused accomplices, Luis Cárdenas Palomino and Ramón Pequeno García, former top Mexican law enforcement officials who worked under García Luna, remain at large from US authorities.
According to a note from theBBC It isHe is the highest-ranking Mexican official to be tried in the United States on drug trafficking charges. His sentence will be announced in June.
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