Yesterday Colombian Armed forces announced the capture of eleven members of the criminal group ‘La Cordillera’ who all face extradition to the US. The operation resulting in the capture saw collaboration between the Colombian Armed Forces, the Specialized Directorate Against Drug Trafficking of the Prosecutor’s Office, and the US anti-drug agency DEA, and took place over a number of municipalities in Colombia. The criminal group has alleged ties to the ELN, a leftist guerrilla group currently in peace negotiations with the Colombian army. Despite the ELN’s original ideological basis, there is continually growing evidence of its involvement in Colombia’s lucrative cocaine industry.
Colombian authorities state the group is involved in cocaine trafficking amongst other criminal activities such as extortion and hit men. It is also reported that three of the eleven arrested were former police officers who were involved in securing the trafficking of drug shipments to international markets.