Global Ganja Report

Colombian beauty queen Angie Sanclemente Valencia, 31, was arrested in Argentina May 26 on charges of leading a drug trafficking ring. Argentine police had been looking for her for more than five months before they tracked her down in a youth hostel in Buenos Aires. She is accused of persuading young women to smuggle cocaine from Argentina to Europe via Mexico. She denies the charges.

Sanclemente won Colombia's popular title of Coffee Queen in 2000, but had to return it when it was discovered she was married, in breach of the pageant's rules. Prosecutors say she recruited other young models to travel, often as first class passengers, from Argentina to the Mexican city of Cancún and then to Europe, carrying cocaine. The Argentine press, who have dubbed her "Narco Queen," say she moved to Mexico in 2005 where she became romantically involved with a well-known drug trafficker known as "The Monster." She is believed to have moved to Argentina to expand The Monster's operations in 2009.

An arrest warrant was issued for her after a 21-year-old model was found carrying 55 kilograms of cocaine boarding a flight to Cancún. The woman's arrest led to six more young women, who reportedly told police they had been recruited by Sanclemente. (BBC News, May 27)

Two years ago, a Mexican beauty queen was busted on charges of collaboration with the country's Juárez Cartel.