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April 15, 2008
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OFAC Again Targets Network of Colombian Drug Trafficker
Washington − The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today added nine individuals and fifteen companies to its list of Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers. These OFAC designations target two long-time associates of Carlos Alberto Renteria Mantilla – Carlos Currea Correa (a.k.a. "Cucu") and Ramiro Rengifo Puentes (a.k.a. "William Torrijos"). Carlos Alberto Renteria Mantilla ("Beto Renteria") is the only remaining leader of Colombia's North Valle drug cartel, and the U.S. Department of State is offering up to $5 million for information leading to his capture.
"Yesterday, Ramiro Rengifo Puentes was masquerading as a seemingly legitimate businessman with an extensive financial network," said Adam J. Szubin, Director of OFAC. "OFAC's financial strike today exposes him for who he really is – a significant drug trafficker known in the underworld as William Torrijos."
The individuals designated today are two of Beto Renteria's closest drug trafficking associates. Ramiro Rengfio Puentes controls an extensive corporate network in Colombia and Spain that includes Miracana Inmobiliaria Quilichao S.A. & Cia. S.C.A., a sugar cane company in Cali, Colombia; Frontera Virtual S.A., a business services company in Bogota, Colombia; Red de Servicios Inmobiliario Profesionales S.A. (RIPSA), a real estate company in Bogota, Colombia; Ruiz de Alarcon 12 S.L., a real estate development company in Madrid, Spain; and several construction and real estate development companies located in Cali, Colombia - Constructora Umbria S.A., Agroganadera La Isabela S.A., Centro Comercial Guss S.A., Construcciones La Reserva S.A., Constructora Juanambu S.A., and Constructora Loma Linda S.A. Also designated today are seven other individuals who work for and on behalf of Ramiro Rengifo Puentes, including Edwin Amir Rengifo Ospina and Monica Moreno Fernandez.
Today's designation is OFAC's seventh action against the financial network of Beto Renteria since 2005. In March 2005, OFAC named Beto Renteria as a principal individual under the Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker program pursuant to Executive Order 12978. Beto Renteria is the subject of two U.S. criminal indictments. He was indicted in the Southern District of Florida in 1994 on narcotics trafficking charges and in the District of Columbia in 2004 on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) charges, stemming from his role as a leader of Colombia's North Valle drug cartel.
This designation is part of the ongoing interagency effort by the Departments of the Treasury, Justice, State and Homeland Security and others to implement Executive Order 12978 of October 21, 1995, which applies economic sanctions against Colombia's drug cartels. Today's designation action freezes any assets the designees may have that are subject to U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits all financial and commercial transactions by any U.S. person with the designated companies and individuals.
A detailed look at the program against Colombian drug organizations is provided in OFAC's March 2007 Impact Report on Economic Sanctions Against Colombian Drug Cartels.
http://www.treasury.gov/offices/enforcement/ofac/reports/narco_impact_report_05042007.pdf
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REPORTS