Mexico freezes bank accounts of ex-officials investigated by US

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MEXICO CITY, May 18 (Reuters) - Mexico has frozen the bank accounts of former officials accused by the United States of ties to the Sinaloa Cartel, President ​Claudia Sheinbaum said on Monday, describing the move as a preventive measure ‌rather than a domestic investigation.

Local media reported last week that Mexican financial authorities had blocked the accounts of Sinaloa Governor Ruben Rocha and nine other current and former officials who face U.S. ​charges that they aided drug traffickers.

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Asked in her morning press conference why ​Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit, or UIF, had frozen the accounts, Sheinbaum ⁠said the agency would soon issue a statement explaining the action.

“Given that there ​is an arrest warrant in the United States against 10 people, the banks here - ​because they have relationships with banks there - take a series of measures,” Sheinbaum said. “Automatically, preventively, the UIF does it.”

Sheinbaum did not name Rocha, a member of ruling party Moreno who is on leave ​from his post, or any other official in her remarks. Rocha has said ​he is innocent.

U.S. prosecutors charged Rocha and the others in an indictment unsealed on April 29, ‌alleging ⁠they helped the Sinaloa Cartel traffic drugs into the United States in exchange for political support and bribes.

Sheinbaum also said that a number of high-ranking U.S. cabinet officials would visit Mexico in the coming days, including drug czar Sara Carter and ​Homeland Security chief Markwayne ​Mullin.

Sheinbaum has previously ⁠said that Mexico would not protect anyone guilty of wrongdoing, but said there was not yet clear evidence and suggested ​the U.S. case had political motives.

The case has raised pressure ​on Sheinbaum ⁠as the United States broadens its anti-cartel campaign to target politicians and public officials as well as criminal groups.

Two former high-ranking Sinaloa officials charged in the same case entered U.S. ⁠custody ​last week. Former public security secretary Gerardo Merida Sanchez ​was arrested in Arizona and appeared in Manhattan federal court, while former Sinaloa finance minister Enrique Diaz ​surrendered to U.S. authorities.

Reporting by Kylie Madry; Editing by Aida Pelaez-Fernandez, Daina Beth Solomon

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