Mexican Governor and Nine Others Indicted in U.S. on Drug Trafficking Charges

Why it matters locally: The indictment targeting Sinaloa's governor has direct implications for Arizona, which shares a 370-mile border with Sinaloa and has long been a primary trafficking corridor for the Sinaloa Cartel's operations into the United States.

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A U.S. indictment names Rubén Rocha Moya, the governor of Sinaloa, Mexico, and nine other individuals in a drug trafficking conspiracy. The charges detail alleged involvement in assisting the Sinaloa Cartel's operations. The indictment, unsealed this week, accuses the defendants of leveraging their positions to facilitate the cartel's activities. Federal prosecutors allege that the conspiracy involved multiple high-ranking Mexican officials. The specific details outlined point to a coordinated effort to provide support and protection to the Sinaloa Cartel's drug trafficking operations. The U.S. Justice Department will pursue the case in federal court. Investigations are ongoing.