Colombian narcotic police successfully captured an alleged money launderer from the drug trafficking organization “Los Rastrojos” with $219,000 Wednesday in Bogota.
Alexis Fernando Velasco Herrera was arrested at the Unicentro commercial center in Bogota and charged with receiving, transporting, and distributing drug money from Bogota to Cali. At the time of his arrest Herrera was found to be transporting $219,000 dollars in cash.
Herrera was previously arrested on December 3, 2010 at the Alfonso Bonilla Airport in Cali with a total sum of over $400,000 in cash. He was released shortly afterwards. Authorities are still investigating Herrera’s release.
The internationally operating organization Herrera is associated with is responsible for narco-trafficking activity and cover-ups. Los Rastrojos obtain cocaine hydrochloride from laboratories located in Nariño and Putumayo which is then sent to Central America to the Californian coast in the United States.
According to authorities, the money generated from this trade was sent directly from the United States to Colombia so that Herrera could launder it. To do so, Herrera and his accomplices allegedly used various methods including bank transfers, domestic and international money orders, and international deliveries.
Both Herrera and the money found at his arrest are now in the custody of Colombian authorities.