Colext/Macondo
Cantina virtual de los COLombianos en el EXTerior
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Como que acaban de capturar a un poco de gente del negocio de las drogas
en Colombia. Ahi va la noticia.
Saludos,
Nestor Raul
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Copyright 1999 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet) AFP
BOGOTA, Oct 13 (AFP) - Colombian authorities captured 30 of the
country's top drug traffickers in an international sting operation
involving law enforcement from the United States, Ecuador and
Mexico, officials announced Wednesday.
"This the most severe blow to the country's cocaine mafia since
the Cali and Medellin drug cartels were dismantled," Colombia's top
police official, general Rosso Serrano, told reporters.
"Many drugs dealers of international renown fell in this
operation," which was code-named "Operation Millennium," Serrano
said.
Authorities in Bogota, who said the sting was a year in the
planning, said the accused traffickers could face extradition to the
United States.
The arrests were made Tuesday across Colombia, in Cali in
southeast Colombia, Medellin in the northeast and in the capital
Bogota.
Plans were underway Wednesday to transfer the accused
traffickers arrested in Cali and Medellin to Bogota.
Among those arrested was prominent trafficker Fabio Ochoa,
formerly a member of the notorious Medellin drug cartel, who was
freed after serving a prison term on drug charges.
Ochoa was arrested several years ago in Spain and extradited to
Colombia after a protracted dispute with Washington, which sought to
have Ochoa handed over to US authorities.
Ochoa had been a member of the Medellin cartel that was headed
by Pablo Escobar, who was killed in a shootout with authorities in
December 1993.
Also among the captured is Alejandro Bernal Madrigal, generally
viewed as the new kingpin among Colombia's drug mafia.
Serrano said meeting were planned Wednesday to brief President
Andres Pastrana about the arrests.
US Attorney General Janet Reno has planned a press conference
Wednesday to discuss US involvement in the operation.
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