Colombia on Wednesday extradited one of the founders of drug trafficking organization “Los Rastrojos” to the US to face drug-trafficking charges.
Diego Perez, alias “Diego Rastrojo”, was released from the Palo Gordo prison in Giron, Santander, to be transferred to Bogota on Tuesday where on Wednesday morning he was surrendered to DEA agents.
The senior drug lord was arrested in Venezuela in June 2012 with the help of Colombian Police. His extradition was approved by the Colombia’s Supreme Court in March.
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Rastrojo was the military command of what was once Colombia’s principal drug trafficking organization, “Los Rastrojos,” that descended from the now-defunct Norte del Valle Cartel in the southwest of Colombia.
After his capture the other leaders of the crime syndicate, the Serna brothers, soon surrendered to the police, leaving the Rastrojos in disarray. They have suffered further setbacks this year after leader “Jefer” was captured in March, followed by “Palustre” in early August. They have now been replaced by rival organization Urabeños as Colombia’s principal drug-trafficking organization.
PROFILE: Rastrojos
Rastrojo will be tried by a federal court in Florida for allegedly trafficking tons of cocaine into the US.