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Sito Miñanco sentenced to 17 years for cocaine trafficking
The Spanish National Court (Audiencia Nacional) has sentenced drug trafficker José Ramón Prado Bugallo, known as ‘Sito Miñanco’, to 17 years in prison for his role in ‘Operación Mito’. The operation, which took place in 2017, involved the trafficking of nearly four tons of cocaine from South America to Europe.
In addition to the prison sentence, Miñanco faces fines exceeding 420 million euros. The court applied a recidivism aggravating factor, noting that he directed the criminal organization while serving a previous sentence under semi-liberty.
Lawyer Gonzalo Boye was acquitted of charges related to money laundering and document falsification, as the court found insufficient evidence of his involvement in the creation of private contracts used in administrative proceedings following a 2017 seizure of nearly 900,000 euros at Barajas Airport.
Separately, a trial regarding a Sevilla FC supporter accused of directing racist insults toward Real Madrid player Vinícius Júnior has been postponed. The defendant, who faces a potential sentence of one year and nine months for crimes against moral integrity, is scheduled to appear in court on May 13, 2027.
Entities
Audiencia Nacional · Gonzalo Boye · Gonzalo Gómez · Jorge Gandini · José Ramón Prado Bugallo · Operación Mito · Pablo Leiva · Sevilla FC · Sito Miñanco · Vinícius Jr.
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [DISPUTED] Pablo Leiva was sentenced to two years and six months in prison following a drug seizure investigation.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The trial of a Sevilla FC fan for racially abusing Vinícius Jr. has been postponed to May 13. www.aionsur.com
- [DISPUTED] A resident of Meis accepted a three-year prison sentence and a fine of 135,695 euros for drug trafficking.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Police intercepted 502.4 grams of cocaine with 85.67% purity during a drug trafficking operation.