Yanira Maldonado had no idea when she got on the bus to come back home that she would be charged with smuggling nearly 12 pounds of cannabis from Mexico into the United States.
Packages were found under her seat and the Mexican military detained Maldonado for more than a week until court officials ruled on her case. In the end, simple video footage of her boarding the bus with only a purse, blankets, and bottles of water, confirmed by witnesses on the bus, was enough evidence to dismiss the charges.
The two packets of cannabis were found attached to the bottom of the seats with metal hooks, a task that would have been impossible for a passenger boarding normally to do according to Maldonado’s lawyer.
Her family vehemently denied the charges throughout the case, saying the arrest was “about money,” according to her husband. Maldonado is back home in Arizona after being released, but the damage has been done.
“I’m not coming back to Mexico. It’s a slap in the face Mexico has given me after I’ve defended them when I hear people talk bad about them.”
Tags: arizona, global drug policy, Mexico, sentencing, war on drugs, women.
By:
Joey Cifelli. Permalink: 
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