Spanish authorities arrest alias “El Llanero,” who is considered to be one of the leading figures of Colombia’s new drug cartels, El Espectador reported Thursday.
The suspect, alias “El Llanero,” was detained on Saturday along with four other Colombian men in Madrid as part of an operation that also saw the seizure of 661 lbs of cocaine.
El Pais reports that El Llanero is suspected of working for 15 cocaine producers based out of Cali though these organizations are yet to be identified.
Investigations began last October when police in Madrid located an apartment alleged to be housing a Colombian drug trafficking operation. Monitoring operations were subsequently set up and led to Thursday’s arrest.
Police also found two buildings in Madrid linked to the trafficking operation in which they discovered $34,865 in cash, 17 mobile phones, two hydraulic presses used in the production of cocaine and various pieces of jewelry.