Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Mexican 'drug queen' has Botox in prison

Ap
Wednesday 02 February 2011 20:00 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Bars and barbed wire couldn't keep a reputed Mexican drug cartel "queen" from getting Botox in prison.

Mexico City's prison authority says a doctor was improperly admitted to Santa Martha Acatitla women's lockup last month to perform what it called a "procedure not authorised for inmates". City prosecutors later said that the doctor gave a Botox injection to Sandra Avila Beltran, a purported top decision-maker in the Sinaloa cartel better known as the "Queen of the Pacific".

Ms Avila Beltran has been in custody since 2007 on suspicion of conspiracy to traffic drugs, money laundering and organised crime. A judge acquitted her of the charges in December, but prosecutors are appealing against that ruling.

She also faces possible extradition to the United States in connection with the 2001 seizure of more than nine tonnes of US-bound cocaine on board a fishing vessel in the port of Manzanillo, on Mexico's west coast.

Ms Avila Beltran denies the allegations and says she made her money selling clothes and renting houses.

At the time of her arrest, her boyfriend was the suspected Colombian trafficker Juan Diego Espinoza Ramirez. Prosecutors said Ms Avila Beltran spent more than a decade working her way to the top of Mexico's drug trade, seducing several notorious kingpins and uniting Colombian and Mexican gangs.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in