On July 7, 2010, Mr. Noriega was convicted in Paris of money laundering of criminal drug proceeds received while he was commander of the Panama Defense Forces. He was ordered to forfeit 2.2 million Euros (U.S.$2.8 million) that had been frozen in his French bank accounts. Reuters reported that the court also ordered EUR 1 million (approx. U.S. $1,026,000) to be paid in damages to Panama. Mr. Noriega had originally been convicted in absentia in 1999 in France, but retried after completion of his sentence in U.S. and extradition to France. Mr. Noriega had unsuccessfully contested his extradition from the United States. Panama had been a "partie civile" (civil party) in the criminal case. (Source: Administration des Douanes et Droits Indirects c/ NORIEGA, Republique francaise, Au nom du Peuple francais, Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris, 11eme chambre/1, No d'affaire : 8935669013 Jugement du : 7 juillet 2010 no : 14.)
According to the July 7, 2010 decision by a Paris trial court, Mr. Noriega was convicted money laundering of criminal drug proceeds received while he was commander of the Panama Defense Forces. (Source: Administration des Douanes et Droits Indirects c/ NORIEGA, Republique francaise, Au nom du Peuple francais, Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris, 11eme chambre/1, No d'affaire : 8935669013 Jugement du : 7 juillet 2010 no : 14.)
According to the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, Mr. Noriega was also convicted in the U.S. on eight drug-related counts. (Source: US v. Noriega, Nos. 92-4687, 96-4471 (11th Cir.), Judgment dated July 7, 1997.)
The court involved was the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris, 11th Chamber.
The legal basis for international cooperation is unspecified, but Panama was Partie Civile in the French prosecution.
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