Pubdate: Fri, 2 July 1999
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 1999 The New York Times Company
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Forum: http://www10.nytimes.com/comment/

World Briefings: FRANCE: NORIEGA CONVICTED

A court convicted Gen. Manuel Noriega and his wife in absentia of
laundering $2.7 million in drug profits through French banks for Colombia's
Medellin drug cartel in 1988 and 1989, before a U.S. invasion ended his
dictatorial rule in Panama. General Noriega, who was decorated as a
commander of the Legion of Honor in France in 1987, is now serving a prison
sentence in Florida on a money-laundering conviction. His wife's
whereabouts are unknown. The French court gave them both 10-year jail
sentences and ordered them to pay $33 million in fines.
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