Colombian police capture key man in drug cartel linked to Mexico and the U.S.
January 14th, 2011 - 6:21 pm ICT by BNO NewsCALI, COLOMBIA (BNO NEWS) — Colombian police on Thursday announced the capture of a man who is believed to have been a key figure in a Colombian drug cartel which has links to Mexico and the United States.
According to the El Colombiano newspaper, Julio Enrique Ayala Muñoz was identified as a man at the service of the drug cartel known as “Los Comba.” The criminal organization is led by brothers Javier Antonio and Luis Enrique Calle Serna.
Ayala, also known as “Condor,” was in charge of the relations with the Sinaloa cartel which operates in Mexico’s drug-plagued north. He is accused of shipping tons of cocaine to Mexico after which the Sinaloa cartel shipped the cocaine to the United States.
It is expected that Ayala will be prosecuted by U.S. authorities as an extradition order was placed back in 2009 by a New York District Court. The arrest of Ayala was possible due to information received from confidential sources, according to Cali police.
On December 29, 2009, law enforcement agents seized 6.4 tons of cocaine in Buenaventura. The subsequent investigation revealed that the cocaine was owned by Ayala. He was the second in command of the late drug kingpin Wílber Alirio Varela, also known as “Jabon.”
The head of the Colombian judicial police, Carlos Ramiro Mena, said that the arrest had a significant impact in the international drug trafficking network that involves two of the strongest drug cartels in Latin America.
- Colombia extradites drug trafficker to US - Sep 30, 2011
- Police arrest top drug trafficker at Mexico City airport - Dec 29, 2011
- Suspect in slaying of Argentine singer nabbed - Mar 14, 2012
- Two tonnes of cocaine found in coffee bags - Jul 25, 2010
- Mexican authorites capture drug lord Sergio Villarreal Barragan "el Grande" - Sep 13, 2010
- Cartels have been weakened, says Mexican government - Dec 27, 2010
- Colombian rebels say they are holding French reporter - May 07, 2012
- Four die in Mexico prison fight - Jan 30, 2012
- Mexican drug cartel infiltrates Australia - Sep 15, 2010
- 38 tonnes of drug-making chemicals seized in Mexico - Apr 09, 2011
- At least 20 bodies found in vehicles in western Mexico - Nov 25, 2011
- Top drug lord Ignacio 'Nacho' Coronel killed by Mexican army - Jul 31, 2010
- U.S. arrests more than 2,200 individuals linked to Mexican cartels - Jun 10, 2010
- Mexican federal police arrest drug kingpin Edgar Valdez Villareal - Aug 31, 2010
- Former Governor of Mexican State extradited to the US for involvement with the Juarez Cartel - May 11, 2010
Tags: ayala, bno, cali colombia, colombian drug cartel, colombian police, comba, confidential sources, criminal organization, drug cartels, drug kingpin, drug trafficking, el colombiano, judicial police, key man, luis enrique, mexico and the united states, serna, sinaloa cartel, subsequent investigation, varela