Pubdate: Wed, 9 Jul 2003 Source: San Jose Mercury News (CA) Copyright: 2003 San Jose Mercury News Contact: http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/390 U.S., MEXICO INDICT BROTHERS ON MONEY, DRUG CHARGES Attorney General John Ashcroft and his Mexican counterpart, Rafael Macedo de la Concha, unveiled a new criminal indictment Tuesday against three brothers accused of heading one of Mexico's most violent and powerful drug gangs. The Arellano Felix brothers -- Benjamin, Eduardo and Francisco -- and eight of their subordinates are accused of ordering a series of killings to consolidate their control of the flow of narcotics into the United States. The 11 suspects are charged with racketeering, conspiracy to import and distribute drugs, and money laundering. U.S. authorities also are seeking $289 million in cash and property allegedly acquired through the drug trade. Prosecutors also said they had evidence the cartel held meetings in Mexico with a representative of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the rebel group known as the FARC, to discuss a proposed trade of weapons for cocaine. The deal was thwarted by the 2000 arrest of Ismael Higuera Guerrero, the cartel's top lieutenant, in Mexico, authorities said. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart