Judge orders arrest of Mexican ex-governor

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Mexico City • A judge has ordered the arrest of a former Mexican border state governor for allegedly fomenting drug trafficking.

Mexico's Attorney General Marisela Morales says she has requested help from Interpol in arresting Tomas Yarrington.

She said Monday the whereabouts of the former governor of Tamaulipas state are unknown.

Morales says Yarrington has been charged with "fomenting drug trafficking."

She says the charges are based on informant testimony and on intelligence shared between Mexico and the United States.

Tamaulipas is the home base for the Gulf and Zetas drug cartels, from 1999 to 2004.

U.S. authorities allege that Yarrington "acquired millions of dollars in payments" while in public office from drug cartels "and from various extortion or bribery schemes."