Ex-military officer accused of fuel smuggling to be held in Mexico's maximum-security prison

Former military officer Fernando Farías Laguna, accused of involvement in a fuel smuggling network, will be transferred to Mexico's El Altiplano maximum-security prison. Attorney General Ernestina Godoy announced the decision, stating that Argentine authorities recently agreed to expel Farías Laguna after Mexico requested his extradition.

Godoy explained that Mexican prosecutors traveled to Argentina to bring Farías Laguna back after Argentine authorities issued an expulsion order based on evidence provided by Mexico. The Attorney General also expressed gratitude for the assistance of U.S. authorities, though she did not specify their role in the process.

The investigation has reportedly reconstructed the criminal organization's operational scheme. This involved using tankers to import hydrocarbons, falsely declaring them as oils or additives to evade taxes. With the help of corrupt public officials, the fuel was then transported and distributed through legitimate companies, either to service stations or for money laundering.

Farías Laguna, a former rear admiral, was arrested in Buenos Aires in April following an Interpol red notice. He is wanted in Mexico for organized crime related to hydrocarbons, specifically for his alleged role in "fiscal huachicol," a term for fuel smuggling aimed at evading taxes. The Attorney General's office has already arrested 15 other individuals suspected of being part of this network and is preparing to issue new arrest warrants for shareholders, representatives, and associates involved in fuel distribution across six Mexican states.