Colombian drug lord extradited to United States by Venezuela

Colombia’s reputed top drug lord is spending his first day as a prisoner in the United States Friday after being handed over to U.S. authorities by the Venezuelan government.

The extradition was heavy with political overtones that appeared to respond to U.S. allegations that Venezuela sometimes harbored drug dealers.

The U.S. government was offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Maximiliano Bonilla Orozco. 

He is suspected of ordering as many as 10,000 murders to protect his drug smuggling empire.

Orozco, also known as “Valenciano,” was arrested last month in northern Venezuela along with an accused Colombian guerilla leader.

Police believe Orozco shipped tons of cocaine into the United States with assistance from a Mexican drug cartel. 

He allegedly concealed the smuggling by using legitimate companies to ship the cocaine.

He was turned over to U.S. law enforcement agents during a prisoner transfer in the Caracas airport that was broadcast live on Venezuelan television.

Orozco, 39, was arrested Nov. 27 on the eve of an official visit to Venezuela by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

Tareck El Aissami, Venezuela’s interior minister, told the news media Orozco was one “of the drug smugglers most wanted by the United States and Colombia.”

He is the second top Colombian drug lord to be extradited to the United States since 2008, when the former “capo” of cocaine smuggling, Diego Murillo, was arrested. 

Orozco assumed the top position in Murillo’s absence.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez authorized Orozco’s extradition after consulting with Colombian President Santos, according to a statement from the Venezuelan government.

It also said the Venezuelans rejected the $5 million U.S. reward money.

With the extradition of Orozco, “Venezuela places itself at the front to be a leading country in the fight against trafficking of illegal drugs,” El Aissami said.

He also criticized the United States for its prior accusations that Venezuela was uncooperative in preventing illegal drug production and smuggling.

Orozco was captured at his home in the Venezuelan town of Valencia, where police also found $180,000 in cash.

Orozco faced enemies in and out of his drug cartel during his nearly three-year reign as its boss. 

Some of his allies broke from his gang to follow other smuggling opportunities. 

Others turned against him to cooperate with police in following him to his arrest last month.

He was known for clinging relentlessly to control of his drug routes and accused of being paranoid about potential enemies.

His extradition to the United States is his second encounter with American courts.

In 2.008, a New York judge summoned him to a hearing to answer allegations of his involvement with drug smuggling. 

Orozco failed to appear for the hearing, which prompted the judge to issue a warrant for his arrest.

He is charged with distributing more than 5,000 kilograms of cocaine in the United States between January 1990 and February 2.008.

Court papers filed by prosecutors say he operated a network of warehouses and companies that stored a variety of legitimate products, but also cocaine. 

The drugs were shipped along with the legitimate products to hide their presence, prosecutors said.