If you follow international news, you'll know that Mexico's biggest cartel boss, Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, was caught 9 days ago in Culiacan, Mexico. He's now in a maximum security Mexican jail facing a multitude of charges in that country. Barring the possibility of escape, which has happened before, he could end up spending the rest of his life in jail.
One man who's taken a keen interest in his arrest is banana grower Johnny Zabaneh. In August of 2012 Zabaneh's business world came tumbling down around him when the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control designated him and two other Belizeans under the Kingpin Act. They said, quote, "John Zabaneh and two members of his drug trafficking organization, who are based in Belize and are key associates of Joaquin "Chapo" Guzman, and other members of the Sinaloa Cartel."
The OFAC Office referred to, quote, "John Zabaneh's drug trafficking activities and his organization's ties to Colombian sources of supply and Mexican buyers." End quote. They described him as quote, "a critical figure in the narcotics trade."
Zabaneh has denied it throughout, but to no avail - and now he is seizing on Chapo Guzman's arrest to make another attempt to clear his name. He says the US should question Chapo Guzman to ask him if he ever heard of John Zabaneh or did business with him. Zabaneh is sure that would exonerate him. To get his point made, today, he sat down with 7News and PLUSTV for a most unusual press conference. Here's how it went: he pitched a tent a few hundred feet from in front of the US Embassy in Belmopan to make the point that he is ready to go in and discuss any subject with the Americans - including his past record of drug trafficking:..
Johnny Zabaneh, Wants US To Remove Kingpin Designation
"Chapo Guzman was captured last week as we all saw in the media. He is labeled as the most notorious drug lord ever and I am supposed to be his associate in Belize. I have no idea how this come about and this is definitely uncorroborated fictitious and false allegations. My total passion has always been agriculture. However, in the early 80s I did some stupid things and I was made to pay for it in the United States. I came back and that skeleton has been buried. The stupid things I did in the 1980s were in the field of illegal marijuana operations, like many others in Belize. Unfortunately I am one of the very few that was made to pay for it. But I am glad and I am happy to know that at least my skeleton has been buried. Even though I have learned from my mistakes I am still having to defend myself 30 years later on false beliefs and allegations that I am still in the business. There is absolutely no facts to prove this, there is absolutely none and I am here today to answer all the questions and I hope this will spread the world over because since the capture of this fellow Mr. Guzman my name is again being dragged across the world in the gutters, in the slums, in the mud."
"If I was involved with Mr. Guzman in any way I wouldn't be here today because they would not take the chance that I am so close to this gentleman I must know something about him and he would be worried sick and the best way to avoid any problems for himself - I'd be gone - simple as that. These are not any altar boys or boys scouts - I'd be gone, I'd be dead along with my family, cat, dog, parrot, everybody - gone."
Zabaneh says that for years a man he believes to be a DEA operative has been trying to entrap him. The African American man is listed as a parolee on a drug possession conviction in the state of Mississippi and Zabaneh says he's been coming to him for years proposing drug deals. Zabaneh told us the man visited him again just a few week ago:..
Johnny Zabaneh, Wants US To Remove Kingpin Designation
"Even before I was sanctioned in 2012 I was being visited by a gentleman and I don't want to portray myself as a religious person to be swearing or anything like that, but I could only swear to everything that I hold dear - this has been the first time I ever heard the name Chapo Guzman. This gentleman walked right into my office and started discussing business, bananas to the Middle East to all over the world and eventually he came down to the nitty-gritty of what he was there for 'I need your connections in Houston with Chapo Guzman. I need at least 12-1500 kilos of cocaine (I am not certain if its per week or per month) to supply Houston and Chicago.' I reported it to the Dangriga police, I reported it to the Belmopan police, to the commissioner of police, I reported it to the minister of police and I have records - every single time. To the US Embassy behind me and to Washington - these were reported every single time and there is record."
"This guy would not let up - I told him exactly that "I don't know who you are talking about and I am not in that business."
Jules Vasquez
"Now, in the normal course one would think particularly after repeated report the report a guy is trying to engage in drug business - someone would pick him up and question him or something, but as far as you know he hasn't even been arrested, detained or questioned?"
Johnny Zabaneh, Wants US To Remove Kingpin Designation
"No, I say up to a few weeks ago I was visited again - this guy walks right into my yard right there and sit in front me at my kitchen counter and he talks other things. he is very nice, very charming but at the end he said you know I still need that connection of yours. I need to supply Chicago and Houston."
And while that continues, Zabaneh also disclosed that he's been in direct contact with the US State Department. He says there's been some progress on that front where he claims to have gotten unto a list for re-consideration.
Johnny Zabaneh, Wants US To Remove Kingpin Designation
"I have made several requests to the US Embassy to come in and talk to their DEA, their CIA or whoever - take a lie detector test - to no avail; they have not taken up my offer. I have offered to go to Washington on my expense (I'll buy my own ticket) and face the tune, bring my accusers in front of me and trash it out. Again to no avail. Anyway, since my being put of the OFAC list in August of 2012 I have been taken off the previous case file number and put on another case file number on the re-consideration list. There must be some merits or some cause for that, so presently i'm on the re-consideration list. I have provided boxes upon boxes and I am talking not envelopes or not little packages - boxes of information to Washington on my companies which are Mayan King, Mid South and John Zabaneh myself to prove my innocence. Bank statements as far back as the bank can provide them - all the information personal on companies and questionnaires that has been sent down to me to answer I have answered everything very truthfully. There is no flaws or no if, and or buts in my answers to these questionnaires. However I haven't gotten any recent replies from them. The last reply was to 'look, we don't need no more information, give us time to go through this numerous and extensive information you have provided and we will get back to you.' So that's where we stand."
The interview lasted an hour and a half, and due to time constraints we couldn't put it all together today. But we will do so for tomorrow when Zabaneh will speak about the two men designated as working in his organization, his nephew Dion Zabaneh and Daniel Moreno, plus we'll try to get comment from the US Embassy.
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