Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News 

One of Colombia’s most wanted drug lords – who used to be a right-hand man of Pablo Escobar before becoming rivals – has been arrested and nearly 300 of his properties have reportedly been seized.

According to anti-drug cop Jorge Luis Ramirez, Luis del Rio, alias El Tio, is one of the most wanted drug traffickers in the world and used to be a key member of Pablo Escobar’s notorious Medellin Cartel.

However, Escobar went on to kidnap one of his daughters as revenge for stealing money from a drug cargo sent to the US, according to reports.

Afterwards, El Tio decided to join the Los Pepes criminal gang, rivals to Escobar, to get his daughter back.

Ramirez said: “At the time of Pablo Escobar, El Tio worked with the Medellin Cartel. He later was arrested and sentenced to 12 years in prison, but he continued his criminal activities when he was released.”

According to local media, El Tio’s operations expanded following his release and at one point he was trafficking at least 10 tons of cocaine to the US and Europe every month.

His operation allowed him to reportedly buy over 300 properties in Colombia, Mexico and the US, including Escobar’s former home La Fortaleza in the Colombian city of Medellin.

Reports said that many of these properties have been seized by the authorities.

El Tio’s power at the time allowed him to remain incognito for over 30 years and during this period he reportedly named Fredy Colas as the head of the criminal gang Oficina de Envigado.

According to local media, El Tio was arrested at the La Fortaleza property in Medellin after his son snitched on him.

Reports said that El Tio started an affair with his son’s wife and had regular trysts at a property in Girardota in Antioquia where he also allegedly had sex with underage girls.

At the property, police found an altar where it is believed the suspect also practiced black magic, according to reports.

Ramirez said: “He is one of the three biggest drug traffickers in the country and among the 10 traffickers most wanted by the US government.”

According to local media, the police also arrested one of his alleged partners ‘Jacobo’ as well as another gang member called Chepe who jumped from a third-floor window when noticed the cops raiding his home.

Reports said that he died while trying to escape.

Two other unnamed suspects were arrested in the Colombian cities of Cartagena and Barranquilla, according to reports.

Meanwhile, in Guatemala, a suspect called El Calvo was arrested too.

The investigation is ongoing.

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