US federal prosecutors have indicted the sitting governor of Mexico's Sinaloa state, Rubén Rocha Moya, along with nine other current and former Mexican officials, accusing them of conspiring with the Sinaloa Cartel to traffic narcotics into the United States.
The indictment, unsealed in New York on Wednesday, alleges that Rocha Moya and the other officials accepted bribes and political support from the cartel in exchange for protecting its operations. Rocha Moya, a member of President Claudia Sheinbaum's party, has denied any wrongdoing.
"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," said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole.
Among those charged are a high-ranking police official, a senator, and a mayor. The indictment claims the officials "conspired with leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel to import massive quantities of narcotics into the United States in exchange for political support and bribes."
In response, Mexico's Foreign Ministry stated that the US documents "do not include the elements of proof" necessary to support the arrest and extradition requests, and said the final decision rests with the Attorney General's office.
The case marks a rare instance of the US charging a sitting Mexican governor from the ruling party, creating a significant diplomatic challenge for President Sheinbaum as the Trump administration intensifies its crackdown on drug cartels and official corruption.