Colombian authorities said Saturday they arrested a U.S. citizen who is accused of being one of the financial administrators of drug gang “Los Rastrojos.”
According to the Colombian police, George Richard Baquero Estrada was arrested on Monday in a shopping mall in the city of Medellin.
“With this arrest we are continuing the dismantling of criminal gangs in Colombia, especially in the Antioquia and Cordoba departments, where we are fighting them forcefully and will all the capacity the National Police has,” a police spokesman said.
Authorities say that Baquero Estrada, alias “El Pollo” took over the financial side of the drug business of Wilber Varela, alias “Jabon” in 2007 when Jabon’s financial man Edinson Valdez was arrested by U.S. authorities.
After the assassination of Jabon in 2009, Baquero Estrada joined “Los Rastrojos,” the organization that grew out of Jabon’s Norte del Valle cartel.
Baquero Estrada moved from the U.S. to Colombia to avoid the American authorities and allegedly continued his operations in the departments of Valle del Cauca, Risaralda and Antioquia.
The U.S. has requested the extradition of the arrestant, who is facing drug trafficking charges before a New York court.