Two men accused of running tractor-trailer trucks full of cocaine from Mexico to the eastern United States have been arraigned in Atlanta.
Edgar Valdez Villareal, known as "La Barbie," and Carlos Montemayor González were among 13 people extradited to the U.S. from Mexico last week to face charges. They had their first court appearance Friday and a judge ordered them to remain in custody pending a trial.
Prosecutors say the two are high-ranking members of Mexico's Beltrán-Leyva Cartel. They were arrested in Mexico in 2010.
They face charges of conspiring to import and distribute cocaine and conspiring to launder money. Valdez also faces a drug-related charge in Louisiana.
U.S. Attorney John Horn said this case shows that federal authorities are willing to pursue alleged drug traffickers across international borders.