Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s Republican presidential campaign chartered a private jet used in a cocaine-smuggling ring.

Perry’s campaign rented a Gulfstream III jet owned by Marquez Brothers International, The Wall Street Journal first reported.

{mosads}The plane had previously been used by a “major” smuggling ring to move cocaine, the newspaper said, citing federal court documents. In November 2010 federal authorities busted the ring.

A pilot who previously flew the plane pleaded guilty in the smuggling-ring case.

Allegedly, the jet was used in the smuggling ring to move cash from Los Angeles to Baltimore and vice versa.

Perry’s campaign declined to comment on the plane’s use; there’s no indication that the Perry campaign knew how the plane had previously been used.

Marquez Brothers executive David Villanueva said the plane was rented to Perry because the company did not want any “questionable people” using it. Villanueva also said the pilot that previously flew the plane and admitted to being involved in the ring was fired by Marquez Brothers International.