Alleged Drug Kingpin Indicted By Atlanta Grand Jury

A grand jury in Atlanta, Georgia indicted alleged drug kingpin Edgar Valdez-Villareal, known as “La Barbie”, on charges of supplying cocaine to the eastern U.S. from Mexico over a two-year period.

“La Barbie” and four other defendants were charged with importing and distributing thousands of kilograms of cocaine across the border from 2004 to 2006.

The U.S. State Department is offering a reward of up to $2 million for information leading to the capture of 36-year-old Valdez-Villareal.

Authorities are also looking for the four other defendants, 37-year-old Carlos Montemayor, 45-year-old Juan Montemayor, 38-year-old Ruben Hernandez, and 31-year-old Roberto Lopez.

The State Department says Valdez-Villareal was a part of the Sinaloa cocaine cartel in Mexico before one of its leaders, Arturo Beltran-Leyva, split and formed his own cartel in 2008.

However, Beltran-Leyva was killed in December of 2009 in a shootout with Mexican authorities.

Authorities think all five defendants are still in Mexico. Anyone with information on their whereabouts is asked to call the Drug Enforcement Administration at (404) 893-7000.