Colombian police say they have arrested a ringleader of drug gang “Los Rastrojos” just outside the city of Medellin.
According to the police, the arrested “Felipe” was responsible for the activities of the Rastrojos and their allies, local neo-paramilitary group “Los Paisas,” in the north of the country, a region dominated by their rival “Los Urabeños,” another neo-paramilitary group that controls the drug trafficking routes to the Caribbean coast.
Felipe, whose real name is Lacides Manuel Vergara, was arrested in the municipality of Copacabana and “is responsible for at least 50 homicides and five massacres,” National Police director Oscar Naranjo told reporters.
The 29-year old suspect is the second arrested alleged successor of Paisas leader “Sebastian,” who was allegedly killed by his own men in July 2011. In December, police said to have arrested “Brandon” who took Sebastian’s place after the drug lord’s violent death.