The Minister of Defense, Diego Molano, confirmed the arrest of 41 people in Medellín and in the municipalities of Urrao, Amagá and Ciudad Bolívar in Antioquia, including the ringleader of the substructure Jairo de Jesús Durango Restrepo of the Organized Armed Group, GAO, Clan del Golfo.
They were 44 raids in five operations executed by the National Police, in coordination with the National Army, the Colombian Air Force, the Attorney General's Office and the International Police Cooperation of the Embassy of France in Colombia.
“The ringleader alias El Zurdo along with these other 40 criminals, were part of a structure that was generating terror and crimes in Antioquia. Alias El Zurdo, for example, would be responsible for the murder of two gas operators in Betulia; in the same way in Urrao, he had attacked three young women, including a young woman who had a child in her own arms,” said the Minister.
Alias El Zurdo, is classified as a high value target for the Colombian authorities, and he was included in the list of The most wanted in Antioquia. He began his criminal career of the age of 16 as a hit man, under the orders of alias Siopas, second ringleader in command of the Clan del Golfo.
In addition, he would have been the perpetrator of different criminal acts in the municipalities of Urrao, Betulia, Concordia and Caicedo, in Antioquia. He was in the same way responsible for overseeing the purchase and entry of short and long firearms into Colombia from Panama.
“The GAO Clan del Golfo continues to be one of the axes of evil in the country, but especially in Antioquia, that is why we continue to make our effort to defend the Antioqueños, in defense of the young people and guaranteeing the restoration of tranquility and security for the entire Knot of Paramillo and in Antioquia,” said Minister Molano.
Three arrest warrants had been issued for El Zurdo for the crimes of aggravated homicide, manufacturing trafficking, carrying or possessing firearms, accessories, parts or ammunition, association to commit aggravated crimes, and trafficking, manufacturing or carrying narcotics.
Source: press-Colombian Navy
