MEXICO CITY, May 30 (Reuter) Mexican and U.S. investigators are probing
charges that Raul Salinas, the brother of former president Carlos Salinas,
laundered drug money, Mexican newspapers reported Friday.

The AttorneyGeneral's office said in a report to legislators it was pulling
together a case of alleged money laundering against Raul Salinas and had
issued nine arrest warrants for other people involved, the reports said.

The office also told the legislators that U.S. officials had confirmed they
were investigating Raul Salinas for moneylaundering offences.

Officials were not immediately available for comment on the report.

Mexico is already investigating charges of moneylaundering and fraud at the
state food distribution agency Conasupo, where Raul Salinas was planning
chief from 198892. A congressional committee is overseeing the ``Conasupo
Case'' as the scandal has become known.

U.S. officials, however, said they were investigating Raul specifically on
laundering charges, rather than Conasupo as an institution, the daily El
Universal reported.

Raul Salinas was jailed in March 1995 and is currently on trial on charges of
masterminding the assassination of a top politician and piling up an illicit
fortune.

The U.S. Justice Department has been investigating whether Raul Salinas used
Conasupo to shield cocaine shipments into the United States and launder drug
money for Mexico's Gulf cartel through U.S. bank accounts and purchasing
contracts, the Washington Post reported earlier this month.

Raul Salinas is also being investigated by Swiss authorities for allegedly
laundering more than $100 million in secret bank