News
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2000
DEA
NAMES RETIRED COLOMBIAN NATIONAL POLICE (CNP) DIRECTOR GENERAL ROSSO SERRANO
THE FIRST EVER HONORARY SPECIAL AGENT
DEA will present
retired CNP Director General Rosso Serrano with an Honorary Special Agent
badge at a ceremony at DEA Headquarters on Wednesday, July 19, 2000. According
to DEA Administrator Donnie R. Marshall, "This will be the first time
DEA has ever presented the Honorary Special Agent award. It is DEA's newest
award recognizing exceptional service and dedication outside of our own
agency in fighting the scourge of drugs. I can think of no one who so
embodies the spirit of this award as General Serrano. He has put service
to his country, his people, and the world before his personal safety."
Mr. Marshall added, "Although he thinks of himself as 'just an ordinary
citizen of Colombia', to us General Serrano is a true hero who has challenged
the tyranny, corruption, and violence of the most notorious drug cartels
day and night with unparalleled courage and conviction as director of
the CNP for the last five years."
"I've had the honor
and pleasure of working with General Serrano for many years. Under his
command, the CNP declared war on drug cartels and joined forces with the
DEA in dismantling the infamous Cali organization," stated Marshall. The
1995 arrests of the two most important members of the cartel, brothers
Gilberto and Miguel Rodriguez-Orejuela, signaled the beginning of the
end of the seemingly untouchable cartel. Both brothers were arrested by
the CNP and remain in prison today. The third most powerful leader of
the cartel, Jose Santacruz-Londono, who had been arrested on July 4, 1995,
was killed in a gun battle with the CNP two months after he had escaped
from prison in January of 1996. By March of 1996, Pacho-Herrera, sixth
in the Cali hierarchy, was the only kingpin still at large. In September
1996 he surrendered to the CNP and was sentenced to prison, and in March
1998 his sentence was increased.
Cooperation between
DEA and the CNP continued as new independent drug organizations were created.
In October 1999, Operation Millennium, a year long investigation designed
to dismantle the "Juvenal" transportation organization, came to a successful
conclusion. The "Juvenal" organization had been responsible for supplying
between 20 and 30 tons of cocaine per month to the United States and Europe.
"General Serrano, no doubt, must look back at these accomplishments with
great pride. It's been both exciting and extremely rewarding working with
him, and I can think of no one so deserving to be the first Honorary DEA
Special Agent," Marshall concluded.
The Honorary Special
Agent award consists of a gold DEA special agent badge encased in a dark
blue Lucite stand. The award will be presented only in exceptional cases
to individuals outside DEA who have had a monumental impact on drug law
enforcement initiatives nationally and/or internationally, and whose actions
have had a positive effect on DEA's ability to accomplish its mission.
The Award Ceremony
for General Serrano will take place in the Auditorium at DEA Headquarters
(700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, Virginia) at 4:00 pm on Wednesday, July
19. Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder will join with DEA Administrator
Marshall, family, friends and dignitaries to recognize Gerenal Serrano's
many contributions and to bestow this prestigious award.
Accredited press
are invited to attend.
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