Panama said Sunday it has arrested the top leader of the “Oficina de Envigado,” a Medellin crime syndicate once formed by Pablo Escobar.
Alias “Pichi” is suspected to have ordered the killing of nine — including three other alleged top criminals — in December in Envigado, a town bordering Medellin to the south.
MORE: Infighting within Medellin crime syndicate spurred massacre: El Tiempo
Additionally, Medellin authorities accused the arrested suspect of ordering the assassination of two counter-narcotics agents in Colombia’s second largest city in July last year.
MORE: Medellin anti-narcotics cops assassinated
Following his arrest, Colombian authorities said that Pichi had taken over the control of the loosely organized crime syndicate after the arrest of its former leader “Sebastian” last year.
MORE: Oficina de Envigado leader ‘Sebastian’ captured outside Medellin
Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos congratulated Colombia’s National Police on Pichi’s arrest via Twitter, calling the successful joint operation of Panamanian and Colombian authorities “a good hit.”
Felicitaciones a la Policía por la captura en Panamá de alias Pichi, el sucesor de Sebastián en la oficina de Envigado. BUEN GOLPE!!
— Juan Manuel Santos (@JuanManSantos) February 10, 2013
Santos went on to thank Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli for his country’s help in the arrest in the capital, Panama City.
The dozens of groups belonging to the Oficina de Envigado, one of Colombia’s oldest existing criminal organizations, control most of the drug trade and extortion rackets in Medellin.
PROFILE: Oficina de Envigado
