Mexican Meth Mogul Nabbed in Mall Restaurant

Chinese-born fugitive doesn't get to finish his codfish, DEA says
By Heather McPherson
Posted Jul 25, 2007 1:17 PM CDT
Mexican Meth Mogul Nabbed in Mall Restaurant
Martin Frances McMahon, attorney for Mexican-Chinese businessman Zhenli Ye Gon, gestures during a news conference outside the U.S. District Court House in Washington, Tuesday, July 24, 2007 in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)   (Associated Press)

A reputed Mexican drug lord known for his flamboyant lifestyle and vast supply of cash fell into the hands of the DEA Monday in a decidedly unglamorous setting: a suburban Maryland mall. Zhenli Ye Gon faces charges under US drug laws, the Washington Post reports, and Mexico wants him extradited. He claims the case against him is a political set-up.

The Shanghai-born 44-year-old was ordered held without bond in federal court in Washington yesterday. In March, police seized $207 million from his Mexico City home, a haul the US describes as "the largest single drug cash seizure the world has ever seen." His lawyers say the cash was part of an illegal slush fund for the 2006 Mexican presidential campaign.

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