Panama wants Spaniard extradited over toxic syrup

PANAMA CITY, Aug 25 (Reuters) Panama will request the extradition of an official at a Spanish company accused of supplying a tainted medical ingredient that killed at least 94 people, a special prosecutor investigating the case said.

Dimas Guevara said yesterday, Panama would next week formally request the extradition of a representative of Rasfer Internacional SA, a Barcelona-based firm authorities say provided Chinese-made chemicals for a cough syrup sold in Panama and later found to be toxic.

Guevara did not name the official but on August 20 he requested the detention of Spanish citizen Susy Criado, Rasfer's legal representative. Criado has denied Rasfer was responsible for the tainted medicine.

''We have analyzed the evidence (and) we have established charges against the legal representative and administrator of Rasfer,'' Guevara said yesterday.

''We are in the process of collecting all the documentary evidence in order to send it to Spain.'' Guevara is also investigating a dozen or so Panamanian government employees, including the health minister, in the case.

He said laboratory tests had confirmed that 94 people died from kidney failure or related aliments after ingesting the medicine, although the actual death toll is expected to be much higher. His investigation began in October and is expected to probe the deaths of more than 500 people.

Authorities say Rasfer supplied Panama with a Chinese-made sweetener for use in the manufacture of cough syrup. They say the substance was tainted with diethylene glycol, an industrial solvent normally used in antifreeze.

The case is one in a recent series that has called into question the safety of Chinese-made products.

Guevara said the evidence would likely be delivered to the Spanish authorities before the end of next week.

REUTERS RN RAI0855