Seven drug gang members captured by security forces will be extradited to the U.S. Thursday to face trial, reports Radio Santa Fe.
The national police will deliver seven members of drug trafficking gangs to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), including four members of “Los Rastrojos,” two members of neo-paramilitary group “Los Paisas” and one member of the neo-paramilitary Colombian Revolutionary Popular Anti-terrorist Army (ERPAC).
Included in the transfer is Jorge Alberto Rengifo Lopez, alias “Cacerolo,” who is accused of facilitating a deal between drug gang “Los Comba” and the 30th Front of the FARC in which 4,000 Chinese rifles were exchanged for cocaine.
Lupe Alejandra Velez Ramos, who is also set to be extradited, is wanted in the U.S. for laundering money for Los Paisas and the “Oficina de Envigado,” as well as conspiracy to import, manufacture and distribute cocaine.
A series of country-wide raids on Wednesday saw the capture of 28 members of drug gangs, demonstrating Colombia’s desire to wipe out what some officials have called Colombia’s number one security threat.
The U.S. is also stepping up action against the drug gangs, many of whom are direct descendents of the paramilitary groups who demobilized in 2003-2006. On Wednesday it announced the indictment of several leaders of Colombian neo-paramilitary and drug gangs.
According to U.S. Attorney Wilfredo Ferrer, the Southern District of Florida, the DEA, the U.S. Immigration and Customs and Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the Miami Field Office will work together with Colombian authorities and focus specifically on drug trafficking and neo-paramilitary organizations that took control of Colombia’s drug trade after the demise of the old cartels and the paramilitary coalition the AUC.