Colombian police captured four alleged drug traffickers in the country’s northern region, reported local media Wednesday.
According to a police email, Jhon Rafael Salazar Salcedo, alias “Flash,” was captured Wednesday in the town of Guachaca de La Sierra Nevada in the northern department of Magdalena. Police say Salazar is the third in command in Magdalena for drug trafficking gang and neo-paramilitaries the “Urabeños.” Salzar faces charges of extortion, forming illegal organizations, and murder.
In a separate operation in the nearby town of Santa Marta, police reported the capture of Jhon Estiven Idrobo Perez, alias, “Jerry.” According to police, Idrobo is the head of drug trafficking gang the “Rastrojos,” in Colombia’s western Valle de Cauca department.
Police said Idrobo came to the Magdalena department for security reasons. According the the report the Rastrojos are currently at war with the Urabeños and the FARC for control of trafficking routes and drugs labs in Colombia’s western region.
According to the police email Idrobo became a criminal at age 14, is noted for his cold-bloodedness and cruelty and has survived multiple attempts on his life. He is under investigation for murder, kidnapping, extortion, and drug trafficking.
Police also reported the capture of Loryin Emilio Pertus Vallestas, alias “Camilo,” in Santa Marta, Wednesday. Pertus is allegedly the Rastrojos’ second-in-command in the northern department of La Guajira.
Separate reports by local media said Colombian Armed Forces had captured Candido Correa Rodriguez, alias “24,” in the town of Tierralta in the northern department of Cordoba. Correa is suspected of coordinating killings for the Urabeños in the department.
According to the police email, authorities have captured more than “328 suspected Urabeños members and 219 suspected Rastrojos members,” and have confiscated 154 pistols, 129 rifles, and 4.8 tons of narcotics, allegedly belongs to drug trafficking gangs, so far this year.