Oct. 24 2021 – Colombian President Juan Manuel Duke announced Saturday (23rd) that his government had arrested the country’s drug lord, Dairo Antonio Usuga. On the same day, the Colombian government released images of the scene of Usuga’s arrest.
ACCORDING TO INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN, THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT SENT 500 SOLDIERS, SPECIAL FORCES MEMBERS, POLICE OFFICERS AND 22 HELICOPTERS TO RAID THE FOREST WHERE USUGA WAS HIDING, AND BROKE THROUGH THE EIGHT-STORY LINE OF DEFENSE, AND FINALLY ARRESTED HIM ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF NEKOKLI IN THE NORTHWESTERN PROVINCE OF ANTIOQUIA, ACCORDING TO FOREIGN MEDIA REPORTS. DURING THE OPERATION, A POLICE OFFICER OF THE COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT WAS KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.
duke announced the arrest of usuga in a statement wednesday, calling the operation the most significant victory in colombia’s drug crackdown this century. duke also demanded that criminals, including drug lords, voluntarily surrender or face annihilation.
the colombian government also released the same day usuga arrested pictures. in the footage, usuga, dressed in black pants and water shoes and handcuffed, is escorted to a military base in nekokli, colombia, for a press conference.
usuga, 50, is the leader of colombia’s largest drug cartel, the gulf gang, and a right-wing militia. after the militia reached a peace agreement with the colombian government in 2006, usuga refused to disarm and began a drug business in the gulf of ulabaatar in northern colombia, smuggling drugs across forests to the united states.
USUGA HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN PLACED ON THE U.S. DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION’S (DEA) WANTED LIST, AND THE DEA HAD OFFERED A $5 MILLION REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO HIS CAPTURE. USUGA WAS INDICTED IN MANHATTAN FEDERAL COURT IN EARLY 2009 ON CHARGES OF DRUG TRAFFICKING AND FINANCING RIGHT-WING MILITIAS. FEDERAL COURTS IN BROOKLYN AND MIAMI HAVE ALSO ACCUSED USUGA OF SMUGGLING AT LEAST 73 TONS OF COCAINE INTO THE UNITED STATES BETWEEN 2003 AND 2014 THROUGH COUNTRIES SUCH AS VENEZUELA AND GUATEMALA.
