ATLANTA — Federal prosecutors in Atlanta have charged a Texas-born man who is suspected of leading a Mexican drug cartel with distributing thousands of kilograms of cocaine from Mexico to the eastern U.S. from 2004 to 2006.
Edgar Valdez Villarreal, who is known as "La Barbie," was charged Friday along with five other people. Authorities are offering a reward of up to $2 million for his capture.
Prosecutors say Villarreal has become one of Mexico's most elusive drug suspects. Federal authorities say he is battling for control of a powerful Mexican drug cartel.
United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, "This indictment shows that we are not content simply to arrest and prosecute those in our district who work on behalf of the Mexican cartels to bring cocaine into the United States. We are committed to tracing the drugs back to the cartel leaders themselves, and we look forward to the opportunity to prosecute the sources of this cocaine in federal court in Atlanta."
Mexican authorities have found decapitated and mangled bodies this year which they believe are victims of the fight between the two.