DOJ indicts Sinaloa governor and officials in cartel-linked drug trafficking case

The U.S. Department of Justice unsealed a 34-page indictment charging the governor of Sinaloa and nine other current or former Mexican officials with helping the Sinaloa cartel import fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States in exchange for bribes and influence. Prosecutors say the governor, along with other officials, aided cartel operations, including manipulating elections and placing cartel-friendly officials in power; one former police commander is accused of kidnapping and killing enemies, including a DEA source and a 13-year-old victim. Defendants face decades to life in prison if convicted. The Sinaloa cartel leadership, including the Chapitos and other founders, are also referenced as background context in ongoing U.S. prosecutions.