The Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia gives the green light to the extradition of "Otoniel"

Alias ​​"Otoniel" was hiding here, the most wanted narco in Colombia 0:47

(CNN Spanish) --

The only thing missing is the decision of the Executive Power, after the Supreme Court of Colombia endorsed on Wednesday the extradition of Dairo Antonio Úsuga, alias Otoniel, requested by the United States authorities on drug trafficking charges.

The authorities of that country and the Colombian Police affirm that this man is the head of the Clan del Golfo.

Consulted by CNN, one of the lawyers of the alleged drug trafficker said that for the moment they will not comment until they thoroughly study the opinion.

• Alias ​​"Otoniel", the "most wanted" drug trafficker in Colombia who began committing crimes at the age of 16

"Otoniel" was captured on October 23, 2021 in the municipality of Necoclí in the department of Antioquia, and is identified by the Colombian Police and by President Iván Duque as currently being one of the most dangerous drug traffickers in the country.

At the time of his capture, against Úsuga there were at least 122 arrest warrants for charges of drug trafficking, conspiracy to commit a crime, murder and money laundering, according to the file of the Colombian Attorney General's Office.

From the moment of his arrest, Úsuga has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

However, the judge of guarantees endorsed at the time the request of the Prosecutor's Office to keep him behind bars.

Now the Supreme Court has ratified the formulation of charges for drug trafficking and authorized the extradition request to the United States.

On November 2, 2021, a court in the southern district of Florida had officially filed the petition with the Supreme Court of Justice of Colombia to endorse this procedure.

Now the signature of President Duque is pending for "Otoniel" to be sent to the US and processed there.

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Lawyers for alias "Otoniel" had recently petitioned the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) to admit him to that court of transitional justice.

But this request was denied.

Relatives of several of the victims of this alleged drug trafficker had also asked the Supreme Court not to endorse his extradition to the US so that he would first pay for his crimes in Colombia and tell details of his criminal actions for more than 20 years. .

At the time of his capture, President Duque stated that it was a blow to drug trafficking comparable to the death of Pablo Escobar, at the hands of a Police and Army commando, on December 2, 1993.

Othniel