A Colombian citizen arrived in London Wednesday to face charges of
money laundering. The unidentified citizen is the first Colombian to be
extradited to the U.K.
The Colombian arrived at Heathrow International Airport, escorted by representatives from the European based Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA).The representatives had traveled to Colombia to arrange the detainee’s extradition to the U.K. upon arrival the Colombian was immediately taken to the Heathrow Police Station and charged with eleven counts of money laundering in relation to the supply of drugs in the U.K.
It is the first time the extradition treaty between Colombia and the U.K has been used since it was signed in 1888.
General Director of SOCA Bill Hughes said the extradition represented a step forward in the fight against the cocaine trade and was made possible because of increased collaboration between Colombian and British authorities.
“The cocaine trade destroys communities, both here and in Colombia, and supports other criminal activity,” he said, expressing his gratitude for the Colombian authorities cooperation in the extradition.
The SOCA was formed in 2006 to fight against the trafficking of illegal class A drugs such as cocaine, heroine and LSD.
