Mexico’s Former Security Chief Genaro Garcia Luna Faces U.S. Lawsuit for Alleged Sinaloa Cartel Link
Mexican Secretary of Public Safety Genaro Garcia Luna speaks during the inauguration of the Federal Police's scientific division on March 9, 2012 in Mexico City. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty Images

Mexico has launched a new lawsuit in Miami, Florida against its former security chief Genaro Garcia Luna for his alleged alliances with the Sinaloa cartel.

Aside from Garcia Luna, a network of companies operated by him and his associates were also facing lawsuits, according to a Reuters report.

Mexico's Financial Intelligence Unit said on Tuesday that the lawsuit was part of their efforts to recover illegally obtained assets.

Garcia Luna was already connected to a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme reportedly designed to boost the Sinaloa cartel, which was formerly led by drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

The UIF said that the lawsuit covers 39 companies and trusts belonging to the ex-security chief, his associates, or family members.

The UIF said in a statement that the lawsuit accuses the defendants and members of companies created and used by Garcia Luna to hide resources from acts of corruption.

Garcia Luna had been living in Florida before his December 2019 arrest in Dallas.

UIF noted that the case was presented in a Florida court because that is where the properties associated with the case were located.

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Garcia Luna had denied engaging in a criminal enterprise case presented in a New York court, wherein prosecutors had alleged him of allowing Sinaloa cartel to operate freely in Mexico in exchange of millions of dollars in bribes, according to a BBC News report.

The allegations also include that Garcia Luna was involved in offenses of importation and distribution of huge amounts of dangerous drugs in the U.S.

Prosecutors claimed that years between 2001 and 2012, Garcia Luna had been given millions of dollars of bribes from the Sinaloa cartel for protection of its drug trafficking activities.

They also noted that the former security chief had given the Mexican drug cartel drug shipments safe passage, as well as warning on planned law enforcement operations.

In addition, Garcia Luna had reportedly placed corrupt officials in power in areas the Sinaloa cartel was active, while also handing out information about its rivals.

Garcia Luna was part of the cabinet of former President Felipe Calderon and was the country's top security chief from 2006 to 2012.

He also presided over the International Drug Enforcement Conference in 2011, which was held in Mexico.

Former Sinaloa cartel member, Jesús "El Rey" Zambada, testified against El Chapo. Zambada also retold delivering suitcases containing two million dollars to Garcia Luna as a bribe.

Last December, Mexico had asked the U.S. to extradite the former security chief. However, the Foreign Relations Department did not say any additional details, according to a Los Angeles Times report.

Mexico's Attorney General's Office had released an arrest warrant for the ex-security chief last November on grounds of illegal enrichment.

Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard earlier said that Mexico wants any trials of alleged corruption of public officials to take place in their country rather than abroad.

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Mexico's former top security chief accused of accepting bribes from cartel - from WFAA