Chinese drug trafficking suspect handed to the US by Mexico pleads not guilty in NYC

NEW YORK (AP) — A Chinese drug trafficking suspect who escaped custody in Mexico only to be recaptured in Cuba has been turned over to the U.S. to face charges he trafficked large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl into the country. Zhi Dong Zhang, also known as “Brother Wang” among other aliases, pleaded not guilty to the charges at his arraignment Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court. His lawyer declined to comment following the court appearance. Federal officials say Zhang ran a vast drug trafficking and money laundering operation that imported thousands of kilograms (pounds) of narcotics into the United States…