Colombia to investigate fake death certificate of arrested drug lord

Colombian authorities opened an investigation Monday into the illegitimate issuing of a death certificate for drug lord Camilo Torres, who is alive and was arrested while celebrating his wedding last month.

Torres, alias “Fritanga,” is alleged by Colombian police to be the top ranking operative for the notorious drug trafficking organization, “Los Urabeños.” According to his death certificate, he died in December 2010.

The drug trafficker was arrested June 30 during a star-studded wedding ceremony that was intended to last a week. Local media reported that seven U.S. citizens, four of them alleged to be policemen, attended the $1.4 million event.

“If there were irregularities (…) the Inspector General must determine who is responsible for faults in the performance of this function,” said Inspector General Alejandro Ordóñez Maldonado.

Torres was captured in 2009 but was quickly released by a Bogota judge due to a lack of evidence. The U.S. requested an extradition for the Urabeños leader in 2009 on drug trafficking charges after he was placed on the “Kingpin List,” which prohibits designees from conducting business on American soil or with U.S. citizens.

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