The United States issued an arrest warrant for retired Colombian General Mauricio Santoyo, who served as former President Alvaro Uribe‘s security chief and is accused of drug trafficking.
A Virginia court charged Santoyo with drug trafficking after the testimony of extradited paramilitary leaders Salvatore Mancuso and Carlos Mario Jimenez, alias “Macaco.” He was linked to the now-defunct paramilitary group, the AUC and Medellin-based crime syndicate Oficina de Envigado.
According to testimonies from ex-army officials, Santoyo received bribes from both organizations to leak classified intelligence in exchange for information about operations targeting organized crime as well as information about rival drug traffickers who were later assassinated.
Santoyo said he would respond in court, but his whereabouts are uncertain.
The arrest warrant will be transferred in the coming hours to the U.S. State Department so that it may issue a formal request with the Colombian Foreign Ministry.
U.S. authorities filed the charges Monday June 18.