Pedro Haces Linked to Fentanyl Trafficking through Mexican Restaurateur Under Investigation.
Los Ángeles Press
Pedro Haces, a current Morena congressman and labor leader, is under investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for his alleged connection to fentanyl trafficking. Journalist Raymundo Riva Palacio revealed in his column "Estrictamente Personal" that Haces is considered a "person of interest" due to his proximity to a well-known Mexican restaurant owner who is being investigated for drug trafficking to the United States.
The DEA has identified this restaurateur, who owns meat-focused establishments, as a potential fentanyl distribution center, with the drug being linked to the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation (CJNG) cartels. Although the investigation is still in its early stages, Riva Palacio reported that it has been classified as a priority for the DEA’s primary office in Mexico.
Previous Ties to Organized Crime
This is not the first time Haces has been linked to organized crime. In 2019, Edgar Veytia, the former prosecutor of Nayarit, accused Haces in a Brooklyn court of being an “intermediary between drug traffickers and the public sector” in Mexico. These new allegations regarding fentanyl trafficking add to his controversial history, further drawing attention to his activities.
Labor Interests and International Connections
In addition to his suspected involvement in fentanyl trafficking, the DEA has also shown interest in Haces' international expansion. In the past two years, the Morena congressman opened a union office in Washington, D.C., located near the headquarters of the 'Teamsters,' a trucking union known for its alleged ties to organized crime. Through his Confederación Autónoma de Trabajadores y Empleados de México (CATEM), Haces aims to replace the historic CTM in Mexico, while in the United States, the organization seeks to organize the descendants of Mexicans, a labor force of 35 million people.