Drug charges 'betrayed' Toronto Hispanics

TORONTO, Feb. 29 (UPI) -- Leaders of Toronto's Hispanic community said they feel betrayed by a man arrested on drug smuggling charges, for whom they raised money for prosthetic arms.

The Rev. Hernan Astudillo, manager of an AM multicultural radio station, told the Toronto Sun the community had raised $37,000 so Jose Prado-Carmona, 31, could function.

Prado-Carmona lost his hands and lower arms after grabbing live wires in his native Columbia. Patrizia Giolti of the Canada Border Services Agency said that on Feb. 13 Prado-Carmona was arrested at Toronto's Pearson International Airport returning on a flight from Columbia.

"The suspect was acting suspiciously and was sent for a secondary check," she said.

Officers allege he had swallowed packages containing 800 grams of heroin worth $300,000, the report said.

"The long arm of the law finally caught up with him," Giolti said.

Meanwhile, Astudillo said Hispanics who had staged fundraisers and collected donations felt heartsick.

"This news is breaking my heart and the community is saddened by this," the priest said. "A lot of people in the community feel betrayed."