DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Latin American Idol winner Martha Heredia arrested for allegedly smuggling cocaine

Record ID: 860113

  • Title: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Latin American Idol winner Martha Heredia arrested for allegedly smuggling cocaine
  • Date: 23rd February 2013
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ROBERTO LEBRON JIMENEZ, SPOKESMAN NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL AGENCY, SAYING: "We can assure you, we'll find those who were behind this drug trafficking organization which fortunately was stopped before it materialized and whose main character is a young 22 year-old artist, who is practically a girl, Martha Heredia." VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF POLICE STATION WHERE HEREDIA IS BEING HELD
  • Embargoed: 10th March 2013 12:00
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  • Location: Dominican Republic
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  • Country: Dominican Republic
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  • Reuters ID: LVA3C66GQ9E54SGVGRDZBORKHQVR
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  • Story Text: A winner of the popular "Latin American Idol" talent show was arrested in the Dominican Republic for trying to smuggle cocaine out of the country, authorities said Friday (February 22) The 2009 Idol winner, Martha Heredia, is accused of stuffing cocaine in the high heels of her shoes and was arrested when she was trying to board a plane bound for New York City.
    Police said they found 1 kilo 285 grammes (2.9 pounds) of pure cocaine packed in the platform heels of three of the shoes in her luggage.

    "She was arrested as you know with 1 kilo 285 grammes (2.9 pounds) of pure cocaine, a very scarce drug in the dominican market and obviously there is no doubt she was hired by a network who send these types of drugs abroad, mainly to New York City," said Roberto Lebron Jimenez, Spokesman for the National Drug Control Agency.
    Police said they found no other drugs hidden in her body cavities after undergoing x-rays.
    Lebron Jimenez said Heredia was working as a mule for a drug trafficking organisation.

    "We can assure you, we'll find those who were behind this drug trafficking organization which fortunately was stopped before it materialized and whose main character is a young 22 year-old artist, who is practically a girl, Martha Heredia."
    If found guilty, Heredia could face up to 10 years in prison.
    Twenty-two-year-old Heredia won the Latin American Idol final in 2009. She was invited by former President Leonel Fernandez to the National Palace after the win and in 2010 she was awarded the National Youth Award.
    She has been involved in several scandals such as a hit and run accident involving the death of a Haitian boy in 2010 as well as a domestic violence report involving her husband, Manuel Varet Marte, a hip-hop singer.
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