Minutes after the former Mexican Secretary of Security, Genaro García Luna, was found guilty of the five charges against him in the court of the Eastern District of New York, the prosecution praised the US justice system and described the defendant as a “traitor ” from Mexico.
“García Luna, once at the pinnacle of law enforcement in Mexico, will live the rest of his days having to face justice. He will live the rest of his days having been revealed as a traitor to his country and to the law enforcement officers who risked their lives to take down drug cartels,” said Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
“It is inconceivable that the defendant betrayed his duty as Secretary of Public Safety by greedily accepting millions of dollars in tainted bribes with the blood of cartel wars and drug-related battles on the streets of the United States and Mexico, in exchange for protecting those murderers and traffickers whom he solemnly swore to investigate. Today’s verdict is a shining light for the rule of law, right over wrong, and justice over injustice for all those who have suffered as a result of the defendant’s deplorable crimes,” he added.
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After hearing 27 testimonies during almost a month and two and a half days of deliberations
Anne Milgram, who is in charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), said that “today’s sentencing of Genaro García Luna clearly demonstrates that the DEA will stop at nothing to pursue corrupt political officials who are engaged in drug trafficking and violence”.
He stressed that García Luna “received millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa cartel in exchange for protecting his drug trafficking activities and facilitating the importation of cocaine and other drugs into the United States. This case reaffirms the DEA’s dedication to prosecuting and bringing to justice those who allow the Sinaloa criminal cartel to flood the United States with drugs. deadly that are killing Americans at unprecedented rates. This should send a clear message — to all political leaders around the world.
who trade positions of influence to further transnational organized crime—that the DEA will relentlessly pursue drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety and health of the American people.”
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The twelve members of the jury reached this verdict unanimously.
For his part, Ivan J. Arvelo, special agent in charge of the Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New York, pointed out that “criminal organizations they cannot function at the level of the Sinaloa drug cartel without the support of corrupt politicians and officials like Genaro García Luna, who help and abet them. García Luna, a trusted public official, used his official position to help this violent drug cartel in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes.”
He agreed with the prosecutor that “García Luna not only betrayed his position, his people and his country, but his actions facilitated the importation of tons of illicit drugs into the United States. Corrupt officials like García Luna create a dangerous work environment for US security forces, which often share sensitive information with the Mexican government to stop the flow of dangerous narcotics into the United States. HSI, along with our law enforcement partners, will vigorously pursue individuals and organizations that have a negative impact on the national security of the United States and the safety of its citizens.”
García Luna, 54, was found guilty of participating in the management of a criminal enterprise whose activity continues to this day; conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine; conspiracy to distribute and possess 5 kilograms or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute it in the United States, and conspiracy to import the same amount or more.