Among those arrested there are nine extraditable individuals and alias El Animal, ringleader of the organization.
In simultaneous joint and coordinated operations conducted by troops of the Colombian Navy, National Army, Colombian Air Force and officials of the Attorney General's office with the support of units of the National Police, it was possible to successfully arrest these 25 individuals, when they were in their places of residence and public roads in rural and urban areas of Acandí, Necoclí, Turbo, Apartadó, El Totumo, Capurganá, Chigorodó and Santa Marta.
After two years of monitoring by the international intelligence agencies, it was possible to realize the orders of arrest issued for members of that organization associated with the organized armed group, Gao, Clan del Golfo, responsible for the traffic of more than 13 tons of cocaine to Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama and final destination United States, during 19 movements of drug trafficking.
Defense Minister Diego Molano said that “the fight against the GAO Clan del Golfo is relentless. (We have) 25 men in prison, including 9 extraditable and alias El Animal, ringleader of the organization. These people were responsible for drug trafficking abroad and violence in territories."
This criminal organization that provides services to Dario Antonio Úsuga, alias Otoniel, maximum ringleader of the GAO Clan del Golfo, was in charge of coordinating logistics of collection, transport and traffic through fast boats by the Gulf of Urabá to international destinations, where it was marketed as the illicit substance at a cost that amounted to 344 million dollars.
It should be noted that during this week 5.8 tons of cocaine were found by troops in two events in Caribbean waters, one of them with the support of the Costa Rican authorities, leaving the arrest of 5 individuals and the neutralization of two speedboats used for drug trafficking.
“It was 2 years of follow-up. With this coup, thanks to Operation MONTU, we dismantled the financial muscle of GAO Clan del Golfo del Golfo countering its criminal operation. Operations continue," said the Minister of Defense as he passed through Cartagena.
Source: press-Navy of Colombia
