Sinaloa Ex-Security Chief Pleads Not Guilty in Expanding US Cartel Corruption Case

Former Sinaloa public security secretary Gerardo Mérida Sánchez pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan federal court after surrendering to US authorities over allegations that he helped the Sinaloa Cartel traffic massive quantities of drugs into the United States.

Mérida Sánchez, 66, is the first of 10 current and former Mexican officials indicted by US prosecutors to appear in court. He faces charges including narcotics importation conspiracy , possession of machine guns and destructive devices , and conspiracy related to those weapons offences. If convicted, he could face 40 years to life in prison.

US prosecutors allege he accepted at least USD 100,000 in monthly cash bribes from Los Chapitos , the faction led by the sons of jailed drug lord Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán , in exchange for leaking details about police raids and targeting rival criminal groups. Investigators claim he warned cartel members about at least 10 planned raids in 2023, allowing them to remove drugs, weapons, money, and personnel before authorities arrived.

The case widened further after former Sinaloa finance minister Enrique Díaz Vega reportedly surrendered voluntarily to US authorities. Prosecutors allege Díaz acted as an intermediary between cartel leaders and Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha Moya , helping secure political protection and allegedly providing information about electoral rivals during the 2021 gubernatorial race.

The indictment also names Rocha Moya and several other officials linked to Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Morena party. While Rocha has denied wrongdoing and temporarily stepped aside, Sheinbaum has insisted Mexico will not protect criminals but argued accused officials should face trial in Mexico rather than the United States.