Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

A former top security official from Mexico’s Sinaloa state surrendered to US authorities last week and pleaded not guilty to charges he took $100,000 in monthly bribes from a drug cartel faction in exchange for protecting their trafficking operations.

Getting into it: According to the DOJ, Gerardo Merida Sanchez served as Sinaloa’s public security secretary from September 2023 until December 2024, when he resigned at the governor’s request amid cartel violence. Federal prosecutors identify the faction as Los Chapitos (the branch of the Sinaloa Cartel run by the sons of jailed kingpin Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán). Authorities say he leveraged his position to shield Los Chapitos by instructing law enforcement to ignore their members while targeting rivals.

Prosecutors also allege he shared intelligence with the cartel, giving them advance notice of upcoming raids and investigations. In 2023, he allegedly tipped the cartel off about at least 10 planned drug lab raids, buying them time to clear out people, product, and gear before authorities showed up.

Merida was arrested on May 11 in Arizona after crossing the US border and pleaded not guilty on Friday in Manhattan federal court to three felonies: conspiracy to import narcotics, possession of machine guns, and possession of destructive devices. A conviction could result in a life sentence. The indictment, unsealed in late April by the Southern District of New York, also targets Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya (a member of President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Morena party) on charges that the cartel helped him win his 2021 race by going after his political opponents through abductions and threats, with Rocha Moya allegedly agreeing in return to give their trafficking operations cover once he took office.

Multiple other current and former Sinaloa officials, including the mayor of Culiacán and deputy attorney general, were also indicted on similar charges. Rocha Moya has denied the allegations and took a leave of absence on May 2, saying he did so with a “clean conscience” and requesting 30 days to defend himself against what he described as “false and malicious” allegations.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has backed Rocha Moya, rejecting the indictment and saying the US presented no evidence before making its accusations. “No Mexican citizen, regardless of political affiliation or whether they are a public official, should face accusations without evidence,” Sheinbaum said Thursday.

This all comes as President Trump has designated several Latin American drug cartels as “terrorist organizations” and federal prosecutors have reportedly been told they can pursue terrorism charges against Mexican officials tied to the drug trade.