Colombian police captured on Friday the leader of the drug trafficking organization, “Los Rastrojos,” in the southwestern department of Valle del Cauca.
Jefferson Gomez, alias “Jefer”, is said to be the ringleader of the criminal organization in the department of Valle de Cauca, who took command of the territory after his predecessor “Mascota” was captured in November 2012.
BACKGROUND: Colombian police arrest ‘top Rastrojos commanders’
Jefer was arrested after a seven-month-long investigation by the special narcotics division of police. After being alerted to police presence in the area, Jefer fled his hideout in Cali, Valle del Cauca and was apprehended by police. A search of his hideout turned up a 9mm pistol.
Police said that Jefer had spent the last three months evading capture by hiding on farms in rural towns around Valle del Cauca and Quindio – a department just east of Valle del Cauca.
The captured fugitive was transferred to Bogota where he will be charged with crimes of, “conspiracy to commit murder, narcotics trafficking, possession of and manufacturing narcotics and extortion,” reported the Colombian police.
His capture was the second this week of a Los Rastrojos leader. On Wednesday, the ringleader of drug gang in the central coffee region, Alejandro Beltran Esquivel alias “Alex,” was captured along with eight other members.
BACKGROUND: “Rastrojos ringleader” arrested in Colombia’s coffee region
The Valle del Cauca department, home of the Los Rastrojos drug trafficking organization, has seen an increase in violence this year due to a turf war brought on by Los Urabeños – from the northwestern Uraba region – who are attempting to take control of profitable drug trafficking routes in the region.
BACKGROUND: Santos sends extra police to curb violence in Valle del Cauca
Earlier on Friday four people were murdered in two crowded shopping malls in Cali. The murders are reportedly related to the turf war.
MORE: 4 killed in Cali shopping mall attacks
Sources
- Capturado el nuevo cabecilla de “Los Rastrojos” en el Norte del Valle de Cauca (Policia nacional de Colombia)
- Capturado nuevo cabecilla de “Los Rastrojos” en el Valle de Cauca (Cmi News)