El Salvador TV star Pamela Posada denies cartel links Published duration 8 February 2017

image copyright Reuters image caption Pamela Posada (in handcuffs) said she would clear her name

The Salvadorean TV and radio presenter known as Pamela Posada has denied being part of an international drug smuggling ring with links to the Sinaloa cartel.

She was arrested on Monday as part of a police raid in which 26 people, mostly fishermen, were detained.

They are suspected of helping smuggle cocaine from Ecuador to Central America and on to the United States.

Police accuse Ms Posada of assisting the gang by laundering money through two companies selling beauty products.

Beauty companies 'a front'

Ms Posada, whose full name is Claudia Marcela Martinez Posada, presented a youth programme on Salvadorean TV and a show on Radio Urbana.

She said that more recently she had dedicated her time to two companies in her name, one importing cosmetics from China and another selling hair extensions.

Investigators suspect she used the companies to launder illicit proceeds for the drug smuggling ring she allegedly belongs to.

The gang is accused of smuggling up to 500kg of cocaine every week by sea from Ecuador along the Central American coastline to Guatemala, where their alleged leader was based.

From there, the drugs would be taken by land to the US.

Twenty-four of the 26 people arrested on Monday were fishermen, officials said. Officers also seized 14 boats and 10 outboard motors.

Police suspect the gang is led by Marlon Francesco Monroy Meono, a Guatemalan former military officer better known as "The Ghost", who was extradited to the US last year to face drug-trafficking charges.

Mr Monroy is accused of being a key link in Guatemala for the Sinaloa cartel, the international criminal organisation led by the now imprisoned Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman.

Ms Posada has denied any wrongdoing and said she would "fight for everything to be cleared up".