Javier for Borderland Beat translated from Reforma
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Cd. de Mexico An aircraft used to traffic drugs, seized in 2000,as a part of a drug trafficking investigation, was found to have been physically altered by the PGR agency (atty general office) . Because of the finding the two pilots involved and charged in the case, were absolved of all charges, because the alteration rendered the aircraft unusable in the criminal process as evidence.
Additionally, the alteration will cost the PGR 13.2 million USD
The aircraft was to have been returned to the legal owner, the firm Servicios (and) Reparaciones Aeronáuticos, but decided instead to keep the jet and add it to the PGR fleet.
Then in 2006, the jet was dismantled and sold as scrap for 70,000 pesos. The rightful owner of the plane filed a lawsuit against the PGR in 2008, and six years later the court ordered an investigation to determine any illegal administrative activity.
The federal court found against PGR in November 2015 and ordered the PGR pay 271 million pesos (13.2 USD) in damages/losses caused to Servicios (and) Reparaciones Aeronáuticos.
The PGR was dilatory in filing an appeal, rendering the ruling as final.
“There must be an investigation into who was in charge of this case, and determine those responsible within the PGR office. There’s more to this than just the PGR paying,” said Rodolfo Félix Cárdenas, former Attorney General of Mexico City.
During the time when an appeal to the federal could have been filed, Adriana Campos López was the head of the PGR’s legal affairs department.
Subsequently, she was promoted to an inspector’s position by the Attorney General Raúl Cervantes.
“She allowed the deadline for an appeal to pass, who knows if she intentionally let it happen?” added Cárdenas.
“Instead of facing the consequences after such a serious offense, she was rewarded. The Attorney General must carefully analyze what transpired,” said Fernando Yunes, the Commission of Justice in the Senate
Francisco Rivas, president of the National Citizens Observatory, said such cases happen often, not only at the federal level but also under the watch of the state Attorney Generals’ offices as well.
“Protocols define one thing and the public prosecutors decide another.”