Mexico hands accused drug trafficker over to Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina said Mexican authorities turned over an alleged drug baron wanted in the slayings of eight police officers in June.

Molina Friday announced the arrest of Eduardo Villatoro Cano in Mexico's southern Chiapas state and said he had been handed over to Guatemalan authorities.

Cano, also known as Guayo Cano, was reputedly a leader of a cocaine smuggling ring that overran a small rural police post in June, killing eight officers and kidnapping their commander. The officer remained missing Saturday and was presumed dead, the BBC said.

The BBC said Guatemala has become an increasingly active link in the cocaine supply chain from Colombia, through Mexico, and into the United States.