A recently captured drug trafficker was on Wednesday revealed to be the “lone” Colombian producer of a popular designer drug.
Hector Mario Urdinola, alias “Chicho,” nephew of deceased mafia boss Ivan Urdinola of the Norte del Valle cartel and one of the leaders of the notorious neo-paramilitary group “Los Urabeños,” is credited with pioneering a Colombian version of 2C-B, a costly hallucinagenic similar to ecstacy. Consumed in both pill and powder forms, the drug is highly popular among Colombia’s elite.
The drug reportedly has a rapid onset and can last for several hours. It supposedly has various effects, including wavy hallucinations, euphoria, and sensitivity to stimulus. It was invented in 1974 by Alexander Shulgin as a psycho-therapy aid. A single gram can cost from $70 to $80 in Bogota.
Chicho monopolized the 2C-B market in Colombia by tracking down the entrepreneur, alias “Alejo,” who first introduced the drug in Medellin. Alejo was reportedly kidnapped by the Urdinolas and forced to hand over the production formula for the synthetic drug.
Captured on Tuesday at his lush estate in the central Colombian department of Meta, Chicho rose quickly through the criminal ranks leading the gang known as “Los Machos” before his arrest.
BACKGROUND: Prominent drug trafficker captured in central Colombia
He stands accused of killing Lorena Henao, known as “The Widow of the Mafia,” who was married to his uncle, Ivan Urdinola.
BACKGROUND: Notorious drug trafficker shot dead in western Colombia
