News
Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 6, 1995
Arrest
of Cali mafia leader
This
morning, Thomas A. Constantine, the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement
Administration, congratulated the Colombian National Police (CNP) on the
arrest of Miguel Angel Rodriguez-Orejuela, another of the worlds
top cocaine traffickers.
Said Constantine,
"Combined with brother Gilberto's capture on July 9 and that
of Jose Santacruz-Londonos on July 5, these three arrests strike
a mortal blow against the unholy trinity who lead the Cali mafia. This
is the capstone in a series of arrests of major leaders of the Cali drug
mafia, perhaps the most significant criminal entity the world has ever
seen."
These arrests are
the result of a strategy put into place 4 years ago by the DEA, which,
along with the CNP, has been instrumental in planning and orchestrating
the immobilization of the Rodriguez-Orejuela enterprise.
"It was
only a matter of time before Miguel would be arrested. When General Serrano
and I met in May he gave his personal assurance that he would do everything
in his power to capture the leaders of the Cali mafia. We are extremely
gratified to see the results. This sends a clear message to those who
think they are above the law. The international law enforcement community
will not rest until all the drug kingpins are spending their nights and
days behind bars," Constantine added.
Overall, the Cali
mafia are responsible for 80 percent of the worlds cocaine with
annual profits estimated at $8 billion. Miguel, also known as the "Transportation
Specialist," was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the
Rodriguez-Orejuela organization, the most powerful of the Cali groups.
He micro-managed all aspects of their multifaceted trafficking ventures,
which included production, transportation, wholesale distribution, and
money laundering. His older brother Gilberto had concentrated on "strategic
planning" for the Cali group.
Miguel, who was born
in 1943 in Cali, has been involved in drug trafficking since approximately
1980. He is responsible for smuggling multiton quantities of cocaine from
Colombia into the United States, Canada, and Europe using a wide variety
of sophisticated transportation and smuggling techniques. Seventy percent
of the cocaine destined for the U.S. market is smuggled through Mexico.
Constantine added,
"While Gilberto's arrest signalled the beginning of the end of the
Cali mafia, this arrest further vindicates the honest people of Colombia
who will prevail in their courageous fight against the powerful and ruthless
narcotraffickers who have threatened their democracy."
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