United States Submits Request to Colombia to Extradite Gulf Clan Boss Dairo Antonio Usuga
Colombian President Ivan Duque addresses members of the military forces who participated in the capture of drug lord Dairo Antonio Usuga, during a ceremony in Carepa Military base, on October 24, 2021. DANIEL MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images

An official request from the United States has been sent to Colombia regarding the extradition of the Gulf Clan drug kingpin Dairo Antonio Usuga, who is also known as Otoniel.

Colombian President Ivan Duque said on Thursday that "administrative procedures" related to Otoniel's extradition "have already been carried out by the ministry of justice and the foreign ministry," Aljazeera reported. Duque added that the request was sent to the Supreme Court of Justice yesterday.

Duque said that he asked the Supreme Court President Luis Antonio Hernandez to expedite the process.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has already approved the extradition of the Gulf Clan's second in command, Antonio Moreno Tuberquia, also known as Nicolas, according to a Reuters report.

Dairo Antonio Usuga's Capture

Otoniel, who is Colombia's most-wanted drug trafficker and was the alleged leader of the country's largest criminal gang, has been captured after a joint operation by the army, air force, and police, according to a BBC News report.

Duque said that Otoniel's capture is the "biggest blow against drug trafficking" in Colombia this century. He added that the capture of the Gulf Clan leader is comparable to the fall of Pablo Escobar in the 1990s.

Otoniel was found in Antioquia province, which is close to the border with Panama. Around 500 soldiers with 22 helicopters were involved in the operation. One police officer was killed during the capture of Usuga.

Otoniel was fearful of capture and never approached inhabited areas, according to Police chief Jorge Vargas. Vargas said the drug lord's movements were traced by more than 50 signal intelligence experts using satellite imagery, with the involvement of U.S. and U.K agencies.

Otoniel was also reportedly involved between several guerillas and paramilitary groups, such as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia and the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, a far-right paramilitary and drug trafficking gang. He rose to power when his brother was killed by police in a raid on a New Year's Eve party almost 10 years ago.

The amount of cocaine the Usugas had smuggled had caused comparisons to Escobar and the notorious Medellin Cartel. However, many Colombians saw the capture of Usuga to be Duque's media stunt.

One Medellin resident, Carlos Bohorquez, said that it was a political stunt to get some press attention and to legitimize the Duque administration, according to a Business Insider report.

Sergio Guzmán, director of Colombia Risk Analysis, said that the market has opened the doors to new players in drug trafficking, noting that the capture has eradicated monopoly.

Guzman noted that it happened when Escobar was killed. He said that paramilitary groups had extended their drug trafficking operations while also being involved in robberies, extortion, and kidnapping.

The director of the security and risk-analysis firm said that it raises a question of who will be next after Otoniel's arrest.

A nongovernmental group promoting peace and justice, Indepaz, said that there are currently about 10 major criminal organizations operating in Colombia.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Colombia's most wanted drug lord arrested - from Al Jazeera English