Assets worth US$200 million seized from drug baron

Colombian authorities confiscated $200 million worth of possessions belonging to a long-sought drug lord in potentially the largest seizure in a single coup.

The lucrative drug empire amassed by boss Ramon Quintero ‘RQ’ Sanclemente over the last 20 years, received a crushing blow when authorities took control of an array of assets including villas, hotels, shops, companies, restaurants and vehicles in the capital Bogota and throughout various Colombian regions.

The names of several Quintero family members and prominent frontmen were also confiscated.

The seizure, which took place between Wednesday and Thursday, could potentially be the largest drug bust in a single operation in Colombian history, reported newspaper El Tiempo on Friday.

According to newspaper El Pais, in February this year, authorities seized 70 kilos of cocaine, allegedly belonging to Quintero from Bogota’s main airport.

It is believed that Quintero has managed to elude capture due to his maintaining a low profile, while accumulating power and wealth over the last few decades in the shadows of the infamous Cali drug cartel. Colombian authorities now place him among the most influential traffickers in the region and a possible successor to the head of the Cali cartel.

Quintero built his empire in the western town of Buga, where he commands notorious gang ‘The 19’. A police source informed El Pais that Quintero “has always been independent” and never bound to work for the bigger boys.

United States authorities want his capture and extradtition to the US.