Police launched an offensive against Colombia’s leading drug trafficking gang, “Los Rastrojos,” in Valle de Cauca, seizing drugs and weapons and arresting a regional boss and 18 others.
Jesus Antonio Moncada Mateus, alias “El Boyaco,” was arrested in the municipality of Tulua. El Boyaco is the head of the “Cañon de Garrapatas” branch of Los Rastrojos and has been wanted by police on drugs and weapons charges since 2005.
El Espectador reported on Monday that at the same time, eight alleged gang members were also ambushed in a police raid in Cali as they unloaded 225 pounds of cocaine. Police also found a pistol, $1,700 and COP1.4 million ($760) in cash.
The eight arrested were allegedly part of the branch of Los Rastrojos controlled by the “Comba” brothers.
On the same day, Colonel Julian Gonzalez of the Valle police announced that authorities had captured 10 more alleged members of Los Rastrojos in the rural zone of La Union, in the north of the department.
Gonzalez said the seven men and three women were in charge of looking after the heads of the gang, acting as guards, and controlling drug trafficking and extortion in the area.
News of the raids came after reports that Los Rastrojos’ top leader has made a deal to surrender to the U.S. authorities.