Colombian model denies drugs charges
From Sky News.
A Colombian-born former beauty queen has denied drug-smuggling as she goes on trial in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires.
The Washington Post reports that Angie Sanclemente and her Argentine boyfriend, Nicolas Gualco, stand accused of recruiting beautiful young women to smuggle drugs to Europe, through the Mexican resort of Cancun.
Five others are also facing trial.
The 31-year-old Sanclemente, former Colombian Coffee Queen, told the court that she came to Argentina to get married, and not to smuggle drugs: "I did not come here to commit crimes, I am not a narcotic-trafficker. I’m not interested in dirty business.”
Read more on GlobalPost: Mexico's president defends war on drugs
According to Sky News, Sanclemente admitted to making “a few calls" on behalf of Gualco.
Sanclemente was arrested in Buenos Aires in May last year after several months as a fugitive.
The investigation began when one of the suspects, a 21-year-old girl, was allegedly caught in the Buenos Aires international airport with 121 pounds of cocaine, the Associated Press reported.
Sanclemente’s lawyers say there is no evidence against her. Her defense for going into hiding after the arrest of Gualco was that she feared being raped in prison.
If convicted, Sanclemente faces up to 16 years in prison.
The story you just read is available for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom. Every day, reporters and producers at The World are hard at work bringing you human-centered news from across the globe. But we can’t do it without you: We need your support to ensure we can continue this work for another year.
Make a gift today, and you’ll get us one step closer to our goal of raising $25,000 by June 14. We need your help now more than ever!