Colombian ‘model-turned-narco’ denies drug smuggling charges

Former Colombian beauty queen and alleged drug trafficking mastermind, Angie Sanclemente, denies any involvement with a drug smuggling ring, following her arrest at a hostel in Buenos Aires, Argentina Wednesday, reports El Nuevo Herald.

Sanclamente’s lawyer, Guillermo Tiscornia, said that there was “a lack of merit” and “no evidence” in the case being brought against the former model.

“There is not a hint of any any direct evidence linking Sanclemente with a drug trafficking organization,” Tiscornia said.

The fugitive model was arrested in a K-Lodges Hostel in the Argentine capital’s Palermo district where she was posing as a Mexican student named “Annie.”

Interpol issued an arrest warrant for Sanclemente in March, on suspicion that she was running an international drug trafficking operation using what she called “beautiful, unsuspicious” models and beauty queens to transport cocaine from Argentina to Western Europe.

Sanclamente is denying any link to the 21-year-old “angel” who was found carrying 55kg of cocaine in her suitcase at Buenos Aires airport.

A total of six people are involved in the case, including Sanclamente’s boyfriend, who she met in Mexico, and his uncle.

The defense team is claiming that the Colombian beauty arrived in Argentina late last year to spend the holidays with her partner and get to know his family.

The mother of the former coffee region beauty queen, Jeanette Valencia, again came to the defense of her daughter saying that she is the victim of a plot by the uncle of her boyfriend.

Valencia also expressed concern over her daughter’s treatment in custody, fearing that the former model may be assaulted or sexually abused.

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