Jet crew sues after drug sting

MIAMI (AP) - A cargo jet crew caught in a botched cocaine sting are suing the US government, saying they were subjected to 12 days of torture in a Honduran prison because of bungling by drug agents. Three crew members of the Belize Air International jet say they were beaten with rubber hoses and shocked with cattle prods after Honduran authorities found 48kg of cocaine on board their plane.

US drug agents hid the cocaine on the plane in Belize without telling the crew, say the lawsuits. The United States has apologised to Honduras for carrying out the operation without telling the government. The lawsuits say the US was trying to catch drug smugglers who were seeking to force Belize Air to ferry cocaine to Miami.