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Ex-general wanted in Mexico moves from Surrey to Coquitlam

Eduardo Leon Trauwitz is wanted in Mexico on charges related to organized crime and fuel theft from a state oil company Pemex
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A B.C. court has granted Eduardo Leon Trauwitz approval to relocate within the province

The former Mexican general who fled to B.C. four years ago has received court approval to move to a condo in Coquitlam.

Eduardo Leon Trauwitz, 56, was arrested in December 2021 and freed on bail conditions in March 2022. The Mexican government wants Canada to return Trauwitz to face trial on organized crime and fuel-theft charges. It alleges that Trauwitz, while working as head of security for state oil company Pemex, facilitated theft of 1.87 billion litres of hydrocarbons from clandestine taps in Pemex pipelines.

Trauwitz’s original bail conditions included a $20,000 surety, requirement to live with his daughter in Surrey, an 11 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew, wearing of an electronic monitoring device around the clock and regular reporting to a probation officer.

During a brief court hearing on Friday in Vancouver, without Trauwitz in the courtroom, Justice David Crossin granted an application to allow Trauwitz to move from Surrey to the Burquitlam area of Coquitlam.

Trauwitz’s lawyer, Katherine Kirkpatrick, said that Trauwitz would report daily to his bail supervisor by phone and once a week in person until a new technical suitability report is completed into the feasibility of electronic monitoring at his new residence.

Crown lawyer Ryan Dawodharry, on behalf of the Mexican government, consented to the application.

Trauwitz fled to B.C. in May 2019, instead of appearing in a Mexican court, and applied for Canadian refugee status. Ex-Pemex employees complained to Mexico’s attorney general in March 2017 that they were threatened with firing if they did not follow a fuel-theft scheme.

Trauwitz’s lawyer told the court in December 2021 that he had been the victim of a politically motivated persecution.

“Mr. Trauwitz was the one who was trying to stop hydrocarbon theft and his actions actually prohibited other corrupt individuals from engaging in carbon theft,” Tom Arbogast said.

The case was adjourned to June 20.

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