NICARAGUA: Nicaraguan Judge sentences 21 drug traffickers including Mexicans and Guatamalans to punishments of between 14 to 22 years in prison each

Mexican drug traffickers were sentenced with two Guatemalans and 13 Nicaraguans to prison in Managua. The men are linked to the powerful drug cartels of Northern Mexico in Sinaloa. A Nicaraguan Judge sentenced 21 drug traffickers on Tuesday (July 10) to punishments of between 14 to 22 years in prison each. Among those sentenced were six Mexicans, two Guatemalans and 13 Nicaraguans connected to the powerful Northern Mexican drug cartels of Sinaloa, linked to drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman. The sentence given by the Judge, came hours after the Nicaraguan police seized of weapons which were intended to be used in an armed assault on police to free convicts held in Tipitapa, located 20 kilometres north of Managua. "The information that we have is that six Mexicans have been jailed with the expected sentence. The information that we have is that these fire weapons were recovered by a special commando in charge of developing a spectacular operation in order to free all convicts that we have," said Police Spokesman Officer, Alonso Sevilla. Among the weapons found were 12 Ak-47 rifles and two M-16 rifles, as well as munition and fuel for aircraft. The drug traffickers were arrested in April after police investigations linked them to money laundering, illegally building an airstrip and possession of firearms. The Mexican cartel is responsible for attempts made against the Chief of Nicaraguan police forces after 10 tonnes of cocaine were discovered on route to the United States through Nicaragua. Much of the cocaine travelling from South America to the United States passes through Central America, which is increasingly attracting the attention of Mexican drug cartels seeking to expand their power base and control over smuggling routes.

ITN Source | July 11, 2007

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