Drug Funds Traced to Raul Salinas’ Account, Swiss Say

U.S. investigators have traced $132 million in Swiss banks to the brother of a former Mexican president and say at least some of the money came from drug traffickers, according to court documents released Friday.

Switzerland’s highest court disclosed for the first time details of the largely secret U.S. case against Raul Salinas de Gortari, the brother of former President Carlos Salinas de Gortari.

The Federal Tribunal made the disclosure in a decision allowing some bank account documents to be turned over to U.S. authorities, who have accused Salinas, his wife and others of money laundering, bribery and cocaine trafficking.

The decision omitted names but referred to “the brother of the previous Mexican president” and otherwise made clear that it was the latest decision in the Salinas case.

The court disclosed not only that U.S. officials believe Salinas had deposited $132 million in Swiss bank accounts but also that they believe significant drug dealers paid Salinas to “assure undisturbed passage of the drugs through Mexico to the United States.”