Los Zetas cartel leaders charged with murder, drug trafficking

The Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted the former leaders of the Mexican cartel Los Zetas, brothers Miguel and Omar Treviño Morales, on several charges related to drug trafficking, money laundering, murder and illegal use of weapons.

Specifically, during a hearing in a Washington, D.C., court, the Treviño Morales brothers were charged with "engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise that involved multiple murder conspiracies, conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana destined for the United States, using firearms — including a machinegun — during and in relation to drug trafficking crimes, and conspiring to launder monetary instruments."

Both pleaded not guilty during the hearing.

"[The Treviño Morales brothers] engaged in conspiracies to kill members of the Mexican government, Mexican citizens, members of rival cartels, members of the Guatemalan government, and Guatemalan drug traffickers," Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the DOJ's Criminal Division noted.

In court documents, Miguel, 52, is listed as the cartel's leader from October 2012 until his arrest in 2013. At that time, Omar, 48, was in charge of running Los Zetas until he was arrested by Mexican authorities in 2015.

It is believed that they continued to lead Los Zetas cartel from jail, renaming it the Northeast Cartel (CDN).

Another Los Zetas member, Eleazar Medina-Rojas, was also charged with "conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana."

For years, the United States requested the extradition of the two criminals, but it did not become effective until Feb. 27, when Mexico handed them over for prosecution.