She was held for helping her husband continue to run his drug trafficking cartel while he was behind bars.
On Monday, the wife of Mexican drug cartel boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman was arrested in the United States. She was held for helping her husband continue to run his drug trafficking cartel while he was behind bars.
The 31 years old Emma Coronel was a regular attendee at her husband’s high-profile U.S. trial two years ago where he was convicted of trafficking tons of drugs into the United States. She was arrested at Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia.
Since former Mexican Defense Minister Salvador Cienfuegos was detained in October, Coronel’s arrest is the highest profile U.S. capture of a Mexican on drug charges. Experts said it indicated a deterioration in bilateral security relations between the neighbouring countries.
The U.S. Department of Justice charged Coronel with conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamines for unlawful importation into the United States. Coronel is expected to appear in a federal court in Washington on Tuesday.
Attached to the charges, the affidavit also details Coronel’s alleged involvement in El Chapo’s escape from a Mexican prison in 2015 and a second attempted prison break in 2016 before the 63-year-old was extradited to the United States.
According to the report by news agency Reuters, a Mexican official familiar with the situation, who asked not to be identified, said Coronel’s arrest appeared to be solely a U.S. initiative and that Coronel was not wanted in Mexico.
Former Mexican ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan said, describing it as an example of U.S. agencies acting with little coordination with Mexican counterparts, said: “[It’s] a sign of what’s likely ahead.”
Rather than the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the investigation into Coronel was handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The charges leveled against Coronel involve alleged trafficking activity between 2014-2017 prior to the high-profile Brooklyn trial where Guzman was convicted on drug trafficking offenses.
Coronel relayed messages on behalf of Guzman to facilitate drug trafficking after his arrest in 2014, said the indictment documents.
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