Mexican Judge Arrested for Taking Bribes to Release Drug Cartel Leader

A Mexican judge who allegedly accepted a massive bribe from a drug trafficking organization to release an imprisoned cartel leader has been arrested while wanted by U.S. law enforcement authorities.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced in a statement on November 5 (local time) that it plans to request the extradition of Luis Benitez Alcantara, a Mexican judge arrested in Colombia on November 1, from Colombian authorities.

According to the Justice Department, Judge Benitez is accused of granting bail to Andrew Clark, a Canadian national and drug cartel leader, in February 2024 in exchange for $2 million (approx. 2.7 billion won).

Clark, a former member of the Canadian national snowboard team, is the second-in-command of an international drug trafficking ring led by Ryan James Wedding and has been identified as Canada's largest cocaine supplier.

Clark was arrested in Mexico in October 2024 on charges including drug trafficking, murder, and attempted murder, and was undergoing extradition proceedings at the request of U.S. law enforcement.

Benitez was the judge handling Clark's extradition case at the Mexico City District Court at the time.

Benitez agreed to receive $2 million from Clark's side in exchange for his release.

The U.S. Department of Justice explained that Benitez approved Clark's bail on the very day he confirmed that the full $2 million had been deposited in February 2025.

Clark was re-arrested days after his release and extradited to the U.S., where he is currently facing a criminal trial in California alongside his boss, Wedding.

Wedding, who was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, was captured in Mexico in January of this year and his custody was transferred to the U.S.

U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in the statement, "Corrupt public officials who assist drug traffickers operating within the United States, no matter where they are, will face trial in the United States."

(Photo: Provided by U.S. Department of Justice, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.