{{Guinea-Bissau’s former navy chief, captured in a high-profile drug sting on the West African coast, has secretly pleaded guilty ahead of a trial on charges he conspired to import narcotics into the United States, court sources said on Tuesday. }}<\/p>\n
The trial of Jose Americo Bubo Na Tchuto, 64, had been scheduled to begin on Monday in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. <\/p>\n
But Na Tchuto, who U.S. authorities say is a kingpin of West Africa’s illicit drug trade, pleaded guilty at a May 13 proceeding, the transcript of which was immediately sealed, the court sources said. It could not be learned why the hearing was sealed.<\/p>\n
Nor could it be determined what charges Na Tchuto pleaded guilty to or the terms of any deal he received. The official court record does not indicate that a plea or hearing took place.<\/p>\n
Guilty pleas are sometimes sealed when defendants agree to cooperate with authorities.<\/p>\n
Sabrina Shroff, Na Tchuto’s attorney, and representatives for U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in Manhattan and the Drug Enforcement Administration declined to comment on Tuesday when contacted by phone and email.<\/p>\n
The secret plea came more than a year after the arrest of Na Tchuto in April 2013. He was seized on a luxury yacht off the coast of Guinea-Bissau following a monthslong DEA undercover operation.<\/p>\n
Before his plea, Na Tchuto faced life in prison if convicted on a previously announced charge of conspiring to distribute 5 kg (11 pounds) or more of cocaine, knowing or intending that the cocaine would be imported into the United States.<\/p>\n
Poverty-stricken Guinea-Bissau is viewed by the United Nations as a major waypoint for Latin American cocaine headed for Europe. U.S. and European authorities have long suspected the country’s military is involved in the drug trade.<\/p>\n
According to U.S. prosecutors, Na Tchuto and his two co-defendants met with confidential DEA informants who posed as representatives of Latin American drug traffickers.<\/p>\n
reuters<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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