rakontur links for October 12th:

• Jury convicts drug lord (Miami Herald) - A federal jury on Friday found Hernan Prada, who once ran one of the biggest drug rings in the country, guilty of conspiring to smuggle multi-kilos of cocaine into the United States. The 12-person panel needed less than two days to convict, handing prosecutors a major -- and long-pursued -- victory.


• Jewel thieves busy as big gem show nears (Miami Herald) - In two separate heists over the past three weeks, about half a million dollars worth of gems have been swiped from jewelers traveling around South Florida. And with the Jewelers International Showcase -- the largest wholesale show in the state -- set to open on South Beach Thursday, it's bound to get worse.