A Mexican judge is under arrest in Colombia on U.S. charges accusing him of taking a $2 million bribe in exchange for releasing a top Canadian drug lord.
This week, authorities in Colombia, working with the U.S. government, arrested 49-year-old Luis Benitez Alcantara on a nine-count indictment accusing him of helping drug lords evade justice. Benitez remains in Colombian custody, but the U.S. government is working to extradite him so he can stand trial.
According to U.S. prosecutors, in 2024, Alcantara accepted $2 million from representatives of 36-year-old Andrew Clark, a Canadian drug trafficker who was the #2 man in the Ryan Wedding Organization. As Breitbart Texas reported, former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding ran a large-scale drug empire that moved large quantities of cocaine into the U.S. and Canada. While operating in an independent fashion, Wedding had close relations with Mexican drug cartels.
In October 2024, Mexican authorities arrested Clark, who was facing extradition to the United States on multiple drug trafficking conspiracy, murder, and attempted murder charges. The case was assigned to Alcantara, a federal judge in Mexico City at the time, who oversaw the extradition process. In November, the U.S. government formally began the extradition process, and Clark’s people immediately began moving money to Mexican officials. From November to February 2025, Clark’s people moved $2.75 million and also paid Alcantara $2 million for the man’s release. One day after receiving the money, Alcantara released Clark on bond and ordered his release.
Days after Clark’s release, the U.S. government was able to rearrest him and was eventually able to extradite him to the United States, where he remains in custody awaiting trial.
If convicted, Alcantara Benites could face up to 15 years in prison.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
