Former Mexican Defense Minister Salvador Cienfuegos is being charged on five counts of drug trafficking, Mexico's foreign minister said on Twitter on Friday, citing Los Angeles General Consul Marcela Celorio.

U.S. authorities detained the defense minister for Mexican ex-president Enrique Pena Nieto at Los Angeles airport on Thursday on a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) warrant. Separately, two Mexican federal sources told Reuters on Friday, said that the Former Mexican defense minister is under U.S. investigation for drug trafficking and money laundering.