Mexican Drug Lord Arrested at Colombia's Int'l Antioqui Airport

Yaqui for Borderland Beat from: YucatánTimes

A Mexican man identified as E. Hurtado Ramírez, wanted by the Interpol for cocaine trafficking and money laundering, was arrested at Colombia’s International Antioquia Airport on Friday. According to Colombian authorities, the man will be extradited to the U.S.

Authorities said the man “was arrested when he tried to board a commercial flight to Mexico City” and added that “Hurtado Ramírez entered (Colombia) on September 18, taking advantage of the fact that there were no arrest warrants issued against him. Nevertheless, the statements made while he entered the country raises suspicion among the migration authorities,” who decided to get in touch with the Interpol and “monitored his activities” in Colombia.

Therefore, three days after arriving in Colombia and one day after the Interpol issued a red notice against him, Hurtado Ramírez was arrested by Colombian migration officers.

Mexico’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that after Peru, Colombia is the country with the largest number of Mexican detainees; most of them have been arrested on drug trafficking and organized crime. Official numbers showed that until June 30, 129 Mexicans had been imprisoned for crimes against health and 14 for organized crime.

Colombian authorities told EL UNIVERSAL that there is an endless number of Mexican drug traffickers in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Central America, which allows them to lead the production, transportation, distribution, and commercialization of cocaine in both small and huge operations.

In 2017, the Colombian government said that since 2014, the presence of Mexican drug traffickers in Colombia had increased, especially those who are members of the Sinaloa cartel and from Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), who are there to buy cocaine.