DEA taps Colombian general’s phone

A retired Colombian police general wanted by the U.S. for drug trafficking was wiretapped by local police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for months, local media reported Friday.

A Virginia court approved the wiretapping operation against Mauricio Santoyo, the security chief for ex-President Alvaro Uribe who allegedly collaborated with paramilitary group AUC and the Medellin crime syndicate Oficina de Envigado between 2002 and 2006.

Former AUC commanders Salvatore Mancuso and “Macaco” accused Santoyo of leaking classified information to both groups in exchange for money. Mancuso and Macaco have been extradited to the U.S. and have implicated other high Colombian officials as well.

The DEA contacted Santoyo months ago for information about other drug traffickers, but he reportedly never responded, according to El Heraldo newspaper.

The U.S. ambassador to Colombia said he had not yet received orders to request Santoyo’s extradition to the United States.

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