SAN DIEGO -- The leader of the Arellano-Felix drug cartel pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy and other charges, admitting that he kidnapped, tortured and killed informants, rivals, and uncooperative police officers.

In a hearing before U.S. District Judge Larry Burns, 39-year-old Francisco Javier Arellano-Felix pleaded guilty to running a criminal enterprise and conspiracy to launder money.

Burns explained to Arellano-Felix that he was admitting to conspiring to disguise monetary transactions to make them look like something else.

"You knew this was drug money," Burns told Arellano-Felix.

The 14-page plea agreement was consummated over the weekend after outgoing Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez notified the U.S. Attorney's Office in San Diego that the death penalty would not be sought against Arellano-Felix.

"I support the decision," Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy said outside court, adding the deal will give federal officials a good chance to extradite one of Arellano-Felix's brothers, Benjamin, from Mexico, where he is being held.

Arellano-Felix will be sentenced to life in prison without parole on Nov. 5.

The defendant also agreed to forfeit $50 million he made from illicit drug proceeds and a 43-foot yacht called the Dock Holiday as part of his guilty plea.

Arellano-Felix admitted that from 1991 through August 2006 -- when he was arrested --the principal business for the Arellano-Felix Organization was importing cocaine and marijuana.

Arellano-Felix agreed that he acted with others in concert to commit crimes and was the organizer, supervisor and manager of the cartel.

According to the plea agreement, the amount of drugs and money the organization brought in could not be determined.

Co-defendant Manuel Arturo Villareal-Heredia, 31 -- one of the cartel's top lieutenants -- also pleaded guilty to racketeering and conspiracy to invest and reinvest illicit drug profits.

Villareal-Heredia also agreed to forfeit $5 million. He faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced Jan. 7.