The alleged second-in-command of the criminal group, the Urabeños, was extradited to Colombia Wednesday after his arrest in Honduras.
Alexander Usuga Montoya, alias “El Flaco,” was wanted on charges of drug trafficking and the 2002 murder of a nurse. He was suspected of organizing the group’s drug routes in northwestern Colombia.
El Flaco was arrested Tuesday in a joint operation between Honduran and Colombian authorities.
He reportedly travelled to Honduras from an unknown country in an airplane stolen from Bogota’s El Dorado airport earlier this year.
El Flaco was wanted by Interpol for crimes against humanity, theft, a plethora of drug-related offenses and crimes involving the use of weapons and explosives.
According to officials, the 33-year-old Montoya belonged to the “Usuga clan,” a family considered to be in charge of the powerful drug trafficking organization. He was allegedly promoted to second-in-command after his cousin, Juan de Dios Usaga, alias “Giovanni,” was killed by Colombian security forces in January.