US Justice Department moves to use terrorism laws in cases against Mexican officials
The US Justice Department has instructed federal prosecutors to build criminal drug cases against Mexican officials using new terrorism statutes.
The move was issued this week, according to the supplied reporting, and is aimed at cases involving officials in Mexico.
No specific defendants, charges or court filings were identified in the material provided.
The development matters because it signals a possible expansion of US criminal enforcement tools in cross-border drug cases.
It also raises the prospect of heightened legal and diplomatic friction between Washington and Mexico.
The instruction appears to be a policy and enforcement step rather than a completed prosecution.
The supplied material does not say when any cases may be filed or whether prosecutors have already identified targets.
The Justice Department is the only agency named in the available row, and the reporting says federal prosecutors have been told to prepare the cases.
No further operational details were included.
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