Guzmán Replaced by Mysterious Colombian Woman on DEA's Most Wanted
At 5 feet,135 pounds, Maria Teresa Osorio de Serna probably does not seem like a particularly threatening person. But the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration recommends, in no uncertain terms, that people "do not attempt to apprehend this individual" -- even though Osorio de Serna now tops the agency's list of most wanted international fugitives.
Then again, it's not likely that the everyday citizen will have a run-in with Osorio de Serna any time soon, given that the 65-year-old Colombian national has replaced Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera at the top of the infamous DEA wanted list.
Guzmán was captured by local authorities last month and is now in the midst of a legal battle to slow down his likely extradition to the United States.
Fugutive's life shrouded in secrecy
Guzmán -- who has turned into somewhat of a folk hero -- may have chronicled his life in a recent interview with actor Sean Penn. On the other hand, very little is known about Osorio de Serna, who is wanted for "money laundering and cocaine conspiracy," the BBC noted.
The woman is believed to have laundered enormous amounts of money, but BBC sources in the Colombian underworld told the channel that they had barely even heard of the suspect.
Ties to Escobar and at least 4 aliases
In the United States, sources point to Osorio de Serna's alleged connections with Pablo Escobar, the late powerful head of the Colombian Medellín Cartel, Mother Jones reported. Her whereabouts are a mystery, with some indications pointing to a residence in her native Colombia and others suggesting a domicile outside Miami.
And even though the DEA is keen on catching Osorio de Serna, the federal agency did not offer any further comments when asked to provide more details about Guzmán's "replacement," the magazine noted. The few details that are known include her hair color (black), eye color (brown), as well as her aliases -- Maria Teresa Correa, Maria Teresa de Serna, Gloria Bedoya and Iris Conde.
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