The Venezuelan government handed over to Colombian authorities today the head of the gang “Los Rastrojos,” Diego Pérez Henao, who was captured on June 3rd in the western part of the country.

 Meanwhile, Venezuela is receiving from Colombia four citizens sought by authorities.

Minister of the Interior and Justice Tareck El Aissami said in comments at the Simón Bolívar International Airport that Pérez Henao was delivered together with another seven Colombian citizens sought by Interpol.

Pérez Henao, one of Colombia’s most wanted criminals, was captured along with three other men by Venezuela’s National Anti-Drug Office (ONA), which is headed by General Néstor Reverol.

“Los Rastrojos” is one of Colombia’s largest drug trafficking organizations, and is known to have armed cells throughout Colombia to protect its cocaine laboratories as well as armed drug runners for domestic trafficking. They work with other cartels such as the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico, sending shipments of drugs that are ultimately destined for the United States.

Pérez Henao was detained on a ranch in the state of Barinas where he was posing as a foreman. The third most wanted man in Latin America, he was a confidant of Wílber Varela (also known as “Jabón”) of the Norte del Valle Cartel and also part of the Colombian Criminal Bands (Bacrim). He was sought for drug trafficking and other crimes such as illegal weapons possession and the illegal use of uniforms and badges as well as thousands of assassinations and extortions in his native Colombia.

AVN / Press – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / July 25, 2012