Colombia’s drug trafficker Otoniel to be handed over to US

Colombia has come up with a new announcement. The most wanted drug trafficker of this country will get extradited to the US as police have captured him in a raid. Dairo Antonio Usuga or Otoniel has been seized. A joint army, police, and air force seized him on Saturday.

This drug trafficker is the leader of the largest criminal gang. He has been on the most wanted list of the US Drug Enforcement Agency for so long. US Officials have further placed a $5m bounties for his head. They have accused him of importing 73 metric tonnes of cocaine in the country between 2003 and 2014.

The defense minister of Colombia, Diego Molano, has said that the next step will be to comply with the US extradition order.

Authorities have taken this drug trafficker into a military base in the capital of Bogota ahead of his extradition.

The late drug trafficker Pablo Escobar said he would prefer to lie in a grave in Colombia than go to a cell in the USA.

As the Colombian constitution has banned the extradition of Colombian citizens, a large number of traffickers are facing indictment in the USA.

Among those are the co-founder of Medellin Cartel, Carlos Lehder, Salvatore Mancuso, and Daniel ” The Madman” Barrera. It will also face several charges that include the sending of shipments of cocaine to the US, recruiting children, and killing police.

Police captured Otoniel in his rural hideout in north-western Colombia. The operation involved 500 soldiers and 22 helicopters. Otoniel has made use of his network of rural safe houses to work out his operation. He did not use his phone. Police earlier found an orthopedic mattress for him as he is suffering from back pain.

The authorities have managed to pinpoint the location even if it was tough. Chief Vergas says that they have traced his movement with satellite imagery. Mr. Duque has also explained this operation has “the biggest penetration of the jungle ever seen in the military history of our country”.

The armed forces of Colombia further released a photo showing that the guards are handling Otoniel.

Credits: BBC