Colombia’s National Police (DIJIN) have arrested three suspected top-ranking members of the Oficina de Envigado, one of Colombia’s most powerful drug gangs, reported local media Friday.
The cartel members were wanted for extradition by U.S. courts for crimes related to drug trafficking. Colombian newspaper El Espectador identified two of the men as alias “Simon” and alias “Camilo.”
According to preliminary reports, DIJIN made the arrests during a raid in Medellin where they also seized drugs, weapons and documents.
The Oficina de Envigado, heir of Pablo Escobar’s cocaine empire, is headed by Erick Vargas, alias “Sebastian.”
The organization stems from a faction of assassins established by Escobar in the 1980s in Envigado, a small municipality next to Medellin, but now derives many of its leaders from former paramilitary groups.
President Juan Manuel Santos will give more details on the detainees after a Security Council meeting Friday morning in Medellin.