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US accuses Mexican judge of $2m bribe to free accused drug trafficker allegedly linked to ex-Olympic snowboarder
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Mexican judge Luis Benítez Alcántara was arrested in Colombia for allegedly accepting $2 million in bribes to release Canadian drug trafficker Andrew Clark from custody during extradition proceedings.
- Clark, charged in the US with drug trafficking and murder related to a billion-dollar drug network allegedly led by former Canadian Olympian Ryan Wedding, was re-arrested shortly after his release and extradited to the US.
- Benítez faces a nine-count indictment as an accessory after the fact, and US officials are seeking his extradition from Colombia to face charges in the United States.
- The arrest is part of a broader US investigation into Ryan Wedding’s multinational drug-trafficking operation, which has resulted in numerous arrests and significant seizures of drugs, weapons, and assets.
- US Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasized that corrupt officials aiding drug traffickers will be prosecuted, underscoring the US commitment to dismantling the criminal network.
