Miguel Ángel Mejía Múnera
Encyclopedia
Miguel Ángel Mejía Múnera aka "El Mellizo" or "Pablo Mejía" (born July 11, 1959) is a presumed Colombia
n drug lord
and former paramilitary leader
. Along with brother Víctor Manuel
he created a drug cartel called "Los Nevados" out of a former paramilitary which they bought for US$ million dollars. The cartel buys illegal drugs
from Daniel Barrera Barrera
another drug lord working along with both the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
(FARC) as well as paramilitaries. . The brothers have also been know to employ many ex-military and special body guards like Francisco Rivas Gonzales "Superman" who has disappeared, and believed to be somewhere in Mexico or Central America.
According to the US Department of State the "Mellizos" have managed multi-ton cocaine transportation routes from the Caribbean Region of Colombia to the United States and Europe since the late 1990s. Their transportation and money laundering organization was conservatively estimated to have transported approximately 68 tons of cocaine over a two-year time period. In 2003 their organization was dismantled during a U.S. multi-jurisdictional effort called Operation Journey. That operation resulted in the seizure of 25 tons of cocaine and the arrest of 43 individuals, however, the Mejía-Múnera brothers escaped.
Mejía-Múnera was also involved in the Paramilitary Peace Process until he failed to turn himself in to the Government of Colombia in August 2006. In 2003, Miguel and brother Victor Mejía-Múnera were indicted in the Southern District of Florida
for conspiracy to import cocaine. The US Department of State is offering a reward of up to US$5 million dollars for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Mejia-Munera.
Colombian minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos
informed that Mejia-Munera had five arrest warrants and one extradition petition by the United States. Colombian authorities also related the Cocaleros protest of the weeks before his death in the municipality of Tarazá to Mejía-Múnera as a strategy to distract authorities and escape.
, just days after his twin brother Víctor Manuel
was killed. He was captured at a police roadblock, hiding in a small compartment behind the driver's seat of a Kenworth cargo truck that authorities had been tracking. The Colombian government announced that Mejía will be extradited to the United States
. The five million reward that was on his head will be delivered to the person that gave the information that led to his arrest, said Bogotá. Colombia paid US$1,3 million to Colombia's Victim Reparation Fund. The money will be used to compensate victims of paramilitary violence.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n drug lord
Drug lord
A drug lord, drug baron or kingpin is the term used to describe a person who controls a sizable network of persons involved in the illegal drugs trade. Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they might never be directly in possession of something illegal, but are insulated from...
and former paramilitary leader
Paramilitarism in Colombia
Paramilitarism in Colombia refers to the origins and activities of far right-wing paramilitary groups in Colombia during the 20th century.Right-wing paramilitary groups are the parties considered to be most responsible for human rights violations in Colombia during the later half of the current...
. Along with brother Víctor Manuel
Víctor Manuel Mejía Múnera
Víctor Manuel Mejía Múnera aka "El Mellizo " or "Pablo Arauca" was a Colombian drug lord and former paramilitary leader along twin brother Miguel Ángel of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia commanding the Bloque Vencedores de Arauca which demobilized in 2006.Mejia-Munera along with twin...
he created a drug cartel called "Los Nevados" out of a former paramilitary which they bought for US$ million dollars. The cartel buys illegal drugs
Illegal drug trade in Colombia
Illegal drug trade in Colombia refers to the practice of producing and distributing illegal drugs with psychoactive effects in Colombia. Colombia has had four major drug trafficking cartels which eventually created a new social class and influenced several aspects of Colombian culture...
from Daniel Barrera Barrera
Daniel Barrera Barrera
Daniel Barrera Barrera also known as "El loco" is a Colombian druglord suspected of being the boss of the illegal drug trade in Bogotá. According to the Colombian National Police intelligence service DIJIN, Barrera bribes numerous Colombian policemen in order to maintain his drug emporium in Bogotá...
another drug lord working along with both the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army is a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary guerrilla organization based in Colombia which is involved in the ongoing Colombian armed conflict, currently involved in drug dealing and crimes against the civilians..FARC-EP is a peasant army which...
(FARC) as well as paramilitaries. . The brothers have also been know to employ many ex-military and special body guards like Francisco Rivas Gonzales "Superman" who has disappeared, and believed to be somewhere in Mexico or Central America.
According to the US Department of State the "Mellizos" have managed multi-ton cocaine transportation routes from the Caribbean Region of Colombia to the United States and Europe since the late 1990s. Their transportation and money laundering organization was conservatively estimated to have transported approximately 68 tons of cocaine over a two-year time period. In 2003 their organization was dismantled during a U.S. multi-jurisdictional effort called Operation Journey. That operation resulted in the seizure of 25 tons of cocaine and the arrest of 43 individuals, however, the Mejía-Múnera brothers escaped.
Mejía-Múnera was also involved in the Paramilitary Peace Process until he failed to turn himself in to the Government of Colombia in August 2006. In 2003, Miguel and brother Victor Mejía-Múnera were indicted in the Southern District of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
for conspiracy to import cocaine. The US Department of State is offering a reward of up to US$5 million dollars for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Mejia-Munera.
Colombian minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:...
informed that Mejia-Munera had five arrest warrants and one extradition petition by the United States. Colombian authorities also related the Cocaleros protest of the weeks before his death in the municipality of Tarazá to Mejía-Múnera as a strategy to distract authorities and escape.
Arrest
On May 2, 2008, Mejía Múnera was captured by Colombian police in Honda, TolimaTolima
Tolima may refer to:* Nevado del Tolima, a volcano in Colombia* Tolima Department of Colombia* Deportes Tolima, a football team in the First Division...
, just days after his twin brother Víctor Manuel
Víctor Manuel Mejía Múnera
Víctor Manuel Mejía Múnera aka "El Mellizo " or "Pablo Arauca" was a Colombian drug lord and former paramilitary leader along twin brother Miguel Ángel of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia commanding the Bloque Vencedores de Arauca which demobilized in 2006.Mejia-Munera along with twin...
was killed. He was captured at a police roadblock, hiding in a small compartment behind the driver's seat of a Kenworth cargo truck that authorities had been tracking. The Colombian government announced that Mejía will be extradited to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The five million reward that was on his head will be delivered to the person that gave the information that led to his arrest, said Bogotá. Colombia paid US$1,3 million to Colombia's Victim Reparation Fund. The money will be used to compensate victims of paramilitary violence.