BRIAN ROSS REPORTS
- Like Jay-Z + the Beatles, But Worse
- Update: Help for Homeless Children
- Bush Era, Revised -- and with More Barbeque
- The Tax Woman Cometh
- Paging Mr. Stanford: Antigua Called
- Who Are You Calling Partisan?
- Update: IRS Won't Use Private Debt Collectors
- But Is It Art?
- PMA Scandal a Sore Point for Dems in 2010?
- Down in Flames
- A New Mystery for RNC Chief
- PMA Clients Were Big Givers
- Raided Lobby Firm Still a Force on Capitol Hill
- Stanford Update: Another $143 Mil Found
- Cheney, Hooked on Controversy
TOP BLOTTER CATEGORIES
- Abramoff Lobbying Scandal
- American Al Qaeda
- Avian Flu
- Beirut Hospital Out of Gas
- Cheney
- CIA
- CIA Secret Prisons
- D.C. Madam Affair
- FBI
- Federal Air Marshal Service
- Homeland Security
- Hurricane Katrina
- IRS
- Mark Foley Internet Scandal
- Millionaire Sex Scandal
- Nigerian E-mail Scams
- Norman Hsu, Clinton Fundraiser
- NSA: Wiretapping
- Osama bin Laden
- Payola
- Pharmacy Investigation
- PMA
- Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert
- Stanford
- Steele
- Terror
- Troopergate
- U.K. Airline Terror Plot
- U.K. Bombing Attempts
- Wen Ho Lee
- William Jefferson
- Zarqawi
« Previous | Main | Next »
Drug Smuggling Saudi Prince Gets 10 Years
Email
Print
ShareMay 09, 2007 7:13 PM
A French court sentenced a Saudi prince to 10 years in prison for abusing his role in a large-scale cocaine smuggling operation. But the prince isn't likely to see the inside of a cell anytime soon.
Saudi Prince Nayef bin Sultan bin Fawwaz al-Shaalan, believed to be living in Saudi Arabia, did not appear at today's hearing, or the trial which preceded it, and was sentenced in absentia by the court. It also fined him $100 million for his role in the plot to smuggle two tons of cocaine from Colombia to an airport outside Paris in 1999.
Nine other defendants were also convicted in absentia for their part in the operation.
The prince, who is the grandson of Saudi Arabia's founding monarch Abdulaziz and the son-in-law to the Saudi deputy defense minister, was found guilty of using his diplomatic status and a 727 jet belonging to the Saudi royal family to transport the cocaine.
The United States has also indicted al-Shaalan with conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine but does not have a policy of trying cases in absentia. In 2005, a U.S. court found two other members of the operation guilty and sentenced them each to 24 years in prison and to pay $25,000 in fines.
Former Drug Enforcement Administration official Tom Raffanello, who oversaw the U.S. investigation of Prince Nayef al-Shaalan, applauded the sentence of the French court. "I think it is a great thing. I wish more countries would try criminals in absentia, when it's obvious they have avoided prosecution."
The prince is said to be living in Saudi Arabia, which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States. It also does not have one with France.
"Because of that we have to catch a break in order to catch him," said Raffanello.
Prince Nayef al-Shaalan has denied the smuggling charges and claims he has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the Saudi government.
May 9, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (8)
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Just goes to show that the Saudis can get away with any crime abroad thanks to their oil. Just like the bin ladens anfer 9/11. Get got out when all the flights were grounded. Thank You GW.
House of Saud & Bush are one.
Posted by: John Pitman | May 11, 2007 1:42:01 PM
I guess we're not the only one's with a government run by crooked politicians.
They get to keep in the family too. I can hardly wait to watch the "democratic" government in Iraq in action.
Posted by: Pete Moss | May 11, 2007 2:10:20 PM
George, are you listening
Posted by: Bob | May 15, 2007 3:58:55 PM
It isn't that the US doesn't have a "policy" against trying people in absentia, it is that trying people in absentia is against the law in the US. There is a difference between a law and a policy and part of good journalism is to be accurate.
Posted by: jason | May 16, 2007 1:54:25 PM
The House of Saud is full of crooks and liars. What do you expect from our so called allies?
Don't forget, 15 out of the 19 hijackers were Saudis and they got a free pass for one reason and one reason only: Oil.
Posted by: Kevin | May 16, 2007 2:45:18 PM
This has nothing to do with Bush. Why don't you liberals stop beating the Bush drum for once. This is about drugs. Plain and simple. No politics involved except the person involved is Saudi Royalty.
So what if Bush won the election from Gore. Get over it.
Posted by: Pedro | May 16, 2007 3:47:16 PM
As to most stories posted by our number one criminal, "The USA Media" this is all lies. Prince Nayef is a honest good man who would have no reason to do such a thing. Get real America seek the truth!
Posted by: Randy Horton | Apr 23, 2008 7:50:10 PM
Yeah U need to seek the truth, Saudi Arabia is not what u guys think. DOnt believe the media go and do research and once u have an authentic proof thn be bold nuf to balme sumone.
Posted by: Ellain | May 5, 2008 3:21:04 AM
Post a comment
