Colombian police have captured another leader of the powerful crime syndicate “Los Rastrojos” while he was meeting with Mexican mafia in the capital Bogota on Thursday.
According to newspaper El Espectador, police found Jose Leonel Rodriguez Guevara, alias “Pinky,” hiding in what was described as a luxurious setting in Bogota. He was allegedly making a business deal in an apartment with Mexican mafia members when police entered the premises.
A police official said that authorities seized pistols, ammunition, two vehicles and 410 files regarding pertinent information, including details on real estate worth over $100,000 used for money laundering.
Pinky was also found with three alleged members of the Mexican mafia, specifically tied to drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, leader of the infamous Sinaloa Mexican drug cartel, newspaper Semana reported.
It is alleged that between Pinky and another Rastrojo leader, known as “Mascota,” they commanded a group of an alleged 1,000 criminals who maintain and secure laboratories for drug processing and ensure the transfer of drugs to collection centers in various towns and municipalities.
Pinky and Mascota, who have moved up in the drug trafficking gang after the capture of former leader “Diego Rastrojo” in June, are being held responsible for various killings throughout the Valle de Cauca department, allegedly committed in order to secure control of drug routes and gateways for their drug traffickers.
The Pacific-based Rastrojos are one of Colombia‘s most powerful transnational crime syndicates but have suffered a series of setbacks in 2012. In May, one of its supreme leaders, “El Doctor,” surrendered to U.S. authorities and a month later, founder “Diego Rastrojo” was arrested in Venezuela. In September one of their key allies, “El Loco Barrera,” was also arrested inside Venezuelan territory.
