Colombian authorities on Monday claimed to have arrested one of the top commanders of the “Rastrojos” drug trafficking organization.
Police arrested Edison Antonio Pelaez, alias “Mincho,” who according to the authorities was acting as boss of the Rastrojos after the surrender of Javier Antonio Calle Serna, alias “Comba,” to U.S. authorities in May.
The suspected capo was arrested in Montenegro, a municipality in the central Colombian Quindio department.
The arrest of “Mincho” followed a number of other high-profile arrests in the top of Colombia’s largest drug trafficking organization.
Authorities claimed to have arrested another alleged successor of “Comba” little over a month ago.
One of the founders of the drug cartel, “Diego Rastrojo,” was arrested in Venezuela the beginning of June.
The Rastrojos were formed by a dissident group within the now-defunct Norte del Valle Cartel by Wilber Varela, alias “Jabon.” After the murder of Jabon in 2008, the organization was led by Calle Serna brothers Javier Antonio and Luis Enrique.
