Colombia’s National Police claimed Sunday to have arrested a key member of neo-paramilitary drug trafficking organization “Los Urabeños” who is wanted by the U.S. to face drug trafficking charges.
According to a police report, Alonso Marin Urrea, alias “Don Urrea,” was arrested in the town of Buga in the southwestern department of Valle del Cauca.
Don Urea is suspected to be the financial head of the Urabeños’ operations in the southwest of Colombia and the neo-paramilitary organization’s contact with “El Negro Orlando” and “Martin Bala,” two former members of the now-defunct Norte del Valle cartel who alligned with the Urabeños in their was against rival drug trafficking group “Los Rastrojos.”
The police said the 58-year old suspect “was in charge of the finances … and managed the security of the shipment of cocaine hydrochloride, in coordination with alias ‘Martin Bala’.”
Don Urrea allegedly used businesses in Cali to launder money for the Urabeños’ drug trafficking activities and is wanted by the Eastern District court in New York for his alleged involvement in trafficking drugs to the U.S.
The Urabeños and the Rastrojos are Colombia’s two largest known drug trafficking organizations. The Urabeños were formed by former members of the demobilized AUC while the Rastrojos were found by a faction of the Norte del Valle cartel.