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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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Drug Arrest Knocks Crown Off Beauty Queen

Some fear pageant's drug ties run deep

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(Newser) – A Mexican beauty pageant winner lost her title yesterday after being arrested with a top drug trafficker, the New York Daily News reports. Authorities said Miss Sinaloa, Laura Zúñiga Huizar, was collared along with leaders of the Juarez drug cartel, an arsenal of weapons, and $55,000 in cash. Authorities are seeking to probe more links between cartels and beauty contest winners, the Guardian reports.

“It is very sad. What we are seeing is a loss of values among young people,” said a government official. Cartels commonly adopt beauty queens to adorn their entourage, authorities say, and may fast-track them to win pageants. The pageant's ruling body said it was unaware of "any illicit activity" Huizar was involved in.

The 2008 beauty queen of the drug-plagued state of Sinaloa, Laura Zuniga, left, and one of the alleged leaders of the powerful Juarez drug cartel, Angel Orlando Garcia, stand during their arraignment.
The 2008 beauty queen of the drug-plagued state of Sinaloa, Laura Zuniga, left, and one of the alleged leaders of the powerful Juarez drug cartel, Angel Orlando Garcia, stand during their arraignment.   (AP Photo/Mexico's Attorney General's Office)
Laura Zuniga is crowned as Miss Sinaloa state at left in the city of Mazatlan, Mexico, July 8, 2008, and is shown to the press with unidentified gunmen after her arrest Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008.
Laura Zuniga is crowned as Miss Sinaloa state at left in the city of Mazatlan, Mexico, July 8, 2008, and is shown to the press with unidentified gunmen after her arrest Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008.   (AP Photo)
Laura Zuniga is crowned Miss Sinaloa 2008 at the Pacific resort city of Mazatlan, Mexico, July 2, 2008.
Laura Zuniga is crowned Miss Sinaloa 2008 at the Pacific resort city of Mazatlan, Mexico, July 2, 2008.   (AP Photo)
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