Photo: Infobae
Dairo Antonio Usuga, nicknamed Otoniel
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The capture of drug lord Dairo Antonio Usuga, nicknamed Otoniel, was called the same important event as the arrest of the famous drug dealer Pablo Escobar.
A new Pablo Escobar, the leader of the largest Colombian drug cartel, the Gulf Clan, drug lord Dairo Antonio Usuga, nicknamed Otoniel, was extradited from Colombia to the United States.
He was called the most dangerous drug lord in the world. In the United States, Othoniel is accused of importing at least 73 tons of cocaine between 2003 and 2012.
Weapons in the form of extradition
Extradition is most feared by drug traffickers, and it is precisely this tool that Colombia, one of the main US allies in Latin America, willingly uses.
The drug dealer, after seven years of searching, was finally detained in October last year. Since then, Othoniel has been held in a maximum security prison in Bogota.
“We extradited this criminal to serve a sentence for drug trafficking in the United States,” Colombian President Ivan Duque said. “But I want to emphasize that after that he will return to Colombia, where he will have to pay for crimes against this country.”
Otoniel was the most wanted criminal in Colombia before his arrest. The Colombian authorities have set an $800,000 reward for information on his whereabouts, while the US has offered $5 million.
He was hiding in the jungle in the province of Antioquia in northwestern Colombia, near the border with Panama. The drug lord’s hideout was surrounded by eight security rings. The drug lord used a network of hideouts to move around and evade the authorities who were pursuing him. To make surveillance difficult, he did not use a mobile phone and kept in touch with the outside world through couriers.
The operation was attended by 500 military, supported by 22 helicopters. One policeman died. Othoniel himself later said that he had surrendered.
Lawyers for the drug lord objected to his extradition and said he should be allowed to testify before a special tribunal and confess to his role in the conflict.
Your own cartel
Otoniel was considered the head of the so-called Gulf Clan (Clan del Golfo) – a powerful criminal organization that deals in drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal gold mining and extortion.
The United States characterizes the gang as a “heavily armed and extremely violent” organization. The group operates in 10 of the 32 provinces of Colombia, and also has influence abroad.
Othoniel became the head of the Gulf Clan after the former leader – his brother, known as Giovanni – was killed during a police operation in 2012, while celebrating the New Year.
Currently, the Klan has about 1,200 armed fighters, with key positions held mainly by members of the Usuga family. In recent years, gang members have been arrested in Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Peru and Spain.
It is known to control many of the drug smuggling channels from Colombia to other countries, notably the United States and Russia.
The Colombian authorities, however, believe that in recent years the organization’s membership has been reduced due to the efforts of the police. Many of the leaders of the Clan hide in the depths of the jungle.
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