Police negligence contributed to drug informant Rachel Hoffman's death, a Leon County grand jury said Friday.

CARTAGENA, Colombia (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez failed to show up for a narcotics summit of Latin American leaders on Friday and his government said he did not attend because of security concerns.

Chavez, a fierce foe of the United States who often blasts U.S. counter-narcotics efforts in the region, had said on Thursday he would attend the summit led by Colombia, Mexico and other Latin American and Caribbean nations to debate cooperation against trafficking and drug-related violence.

CARMEL, N.Y. - Authorities have accused six men of drug trafficking after an investigation of street-level cocaine sales in a New York City suburb.

Igor Kenk, 49, has also been ordered to remain under house arrest, unable to leave unless accompanied by one of his three sureties.

By SARAH SUTSCHEK ssutschek@nwherald.com and JILLIAN DUCHNOWSKI jduchnowski@nwherald.com HEBRON Police suspect that the men whom they found at one of the two marijuana fields officers raided and burned this ...

A Mexican federal police commander whose top deputies were gunned down last weekend was arrested in West Covina for investigation of drug trafficking, authorities said Friday.