A federal judge ordered preventive prison for former Baja California governor Ernesto Ruffo and seven others over alleged involvement in a fuel smuggling network.
The initial hearing concluded Sunday morning after nearly 48 hours. The judge ruled that Ernesto Ruffo, Ricardo, José, Juan and Luis be transferred to the maximum-security El Altiplano prison in Almoloya de Juárez. José María and Guillermo will remain under house arrest for health reasons, while Adriana will be held at the Nezahualcóyotl Sur Social Reintegration Center.
The arrests took place Thursday, July 16, in Ensenada. The Attorney General's Office charged the accused with organized crime and fuel smuggling. The FGR described the case as the country's largest fuel smuggling network, with estimated damage exceeding 4 billion pesos.
The former governor's daughter, Verónica Ruffo, released a video calling for a fair and transparent process. She stated that her 74-year-old father never hid and voluntarily appeared before authorities. The investigation covers 4,238 import operations between January and July 2025 through Tamaulipas customs offices.
