A Mexican attorney general was in San Diego federal court this morning for allegedly smuggling and trying to distribute drugs for years.
The charges stem from an indictment filed by the state of New York in March.
Edgar Veytia was arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border at the Cross Border Xpress bridge last week which connects the Tijuana airport to the United States.
Veytia’s attorney, Jan Ronis, said that Veytia had to admit or deny that he is the person sought in New York while in court today.
He waived his right to contest that issue and will be flown to New York for the rest of the trial.
“That is where the case has been charged, that is where the case will be tried. Because he was arrested here, he has to be transferred there which is not uncommon. When people are arrested in one jurisdiction, they have to be transferred to another,” said Jan Ronis, attorney for Veytia.
Veytia was expected to fly out of San Diego on Friday night.
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Veytia’s attorney said the indictment by New York alleges that he conspired with others to distribute more than 5 kilos of cocaine.
At the time of his arrest, Ronis said that his client didn’t have any drugs on him and there are no allegations he actually ever possessed drugs or contraband.
Before his arrest, Veytia was an attorney general for the Mexican State of Nayarit.
Veytia has dual-citizenship with the U-S and Mexico.
