A citizen of Mexico who was extradited to the United States on drug trafficking charges has had her initial appearance in federal court in the Garden State.

55-year-old Norma Flores-Fernandez, also known as Norma Camarillo, is facing one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin.

During her court appearance on Tuesday, she pleaded not guilty and was ordered detained.

Back in September, Flores-Fernandez was arrested in Mexico at the request of the United States.

According to federal authorities, Flores-Fernandez was part of a Guadalajara, Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that distributed narcotics, including cocaine and heroin, throughout the United States in 2018 and 2019.

Flores-Fernandez coordinated the distribution of approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine in Chicago and approximately 5.6 kilograms of heroin in New Jersey, both of which were seized by law enforcement.

Others Involved

Four of Flores-Fernandez’s conspirators -- 53-year-old Oscar Alberto Flores-Fernandez, 60-year-old Dario Camarillo, 30-year-old Laura Vanessa Diosa-Giraldo, and 39-year-old Emilio Gutierrez-Martinez (also known as “Jose Silvetre-Soto”) -- all previously pleaded guilty to narcotics offenses.

Potential Jailtime

The charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute heroin each carry a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million.

Officials say this effort was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.