A senator from Sinaloa, Mexico, who was indicted in New York last month on weapons and drug trafficking allegations involving a cartel, was apparently apprehended in San Diego this weekend by the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
Enrique Inzunza Cazarez, 53, the former Sinaloa secretary general, faces a possible term of life in jail if convicted. He was charged with drug importation conspiracy, possession of machine weapons and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices.
Nine other individuals were indicted, including Sinaloa’s governor. The California Post reported Inzunza Cazarez’s arrest, citing ”several Mexican news sites” that reported him turning himself in on Saturday. Phone and email messages left by City News Service at DEA Headquarters and the DEA San Diego Field Office were not immediately returned Sunday.
“The Sinaloa Cartel is a ruthless criminal organization that has flooded this community with dangerous drugs for decades,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton said in a statement released April 29 after the indictment was unsealed.
“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 the deadly trafficking of drugs must end,” Clayton continued. “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.”
U.S. DEA Administrator Terrence Cole also issued a statement after the indictment was unsealed.
“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. “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,” Cole said. “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.”
On April 29, Inzunza Cazarez was one of 10 current and former Sinaloa officials indicted in New York. He is accused of meeting with cartel leaders and negotiating for the government to protect them in return for political benefits.
According to U.S. officials, the Sinaloa Cartel is one of the world’s most dangerous criminal organizations, and it has transformed Mexico into the geographic heart of worldwide drug trafficking.
Through addition to alleged drug trafficking, the cartel is accused of committing widespread violence, including thousands of murders, throughout Mexico and around the world, including the United States, according to a DEA statement.
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