Alleged cartel leaders have first court appearance in Atlanta

ATLANTA (AP) 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 Gonzalez 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 Beltran-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.