Wilber Varela
| Wilber Varela | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
November 6, 1957 Roldanillo, Valle del Cuaca, Colombia. |
| Died |
January 30, 2008 (aged 51) Mérida, Venezuela. |
Cause of death | Shot Dead |
| Other names | El Jabón, El Negro, El Jefe, El Comandante. |
| Occupation | Former National Police of Colombia agent, Drug lord |
| Spouse(s) | Yovanna Guzman (until 2008) |
| Children | Wilber Felipe Varela Camacho (Killed on March 20, 2009). |
| Allegiance | Head of Norte del Valle Cartel |
Wilber Alirio Varela Fajardo (November 6, 1957 – January 30, 2008), also known as Jabón ("Soap"), was a Colombian police agent who then became a drug dealer and member of the Norte del Valle Cartel. A Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act indictment was filed in the District Court of the District of Columbia by the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section of the United States Department of Justice Criminal Division against the leaders of the North Valley Cartel, including Varela Fajardo. According to the indictment, the North Valley Cartel exported approximately 500 metric tons of cocaine worth in excess of $10 billion from Colombia, often through Mexico, to the United States between 1990 and 2004. The indictment was unsealed in May 2004. A provisional arrest warrant was issued and was sent to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota. In addition in March, 2004 a grand jury in the Eastern District of New York indicted Varela on Drug Trafficking Charges. The United States Department of State offered a reward of up to $5m for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Varela Fajardo.[1]
Death
Varela was found murdered in early 2008 in a hotel resort in the state of Mérida in Venezuela.[2][3] Wilber Varela Fajardo's death was confirmed by Venezuelan authorities after fingerprints analysis on January 30, 2008.
Colombian authorities believe he was murdered by his own men on orders of jailed paramilitary drug lord Carlos Mario Jiménez, alias "Macaco," to end Varela's power struggle in the rival city Medellín and surrounding areas in Antioquia. With the death of Varela, Jimenez consolidated himself as the maximum authority in drug trafficking in Colombia controlling the drug trade in ten Colombian states and having authority over the cartel. Jimenez was later extradited to the United States on May 7, 2008 on drug trafficking charges.
In November 2011, Jimenez was sentenced to 33 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Joan A. Lenard in Miami for leading an international drug trafficking conspiracy that supported a foreign terrorist organization.[4]
Popular Culture
In TV Series El Cartel is portrayed by the Colombian actor Robinson Diaz as the character of 'Milton Jimenez alias El Cabo'.
See also
References
- ↑ US Department of State: Wilber Alirio Varela Fajardo; Deceased state.gov Accessed September 10, 2007.
- ↑ BBC, February 1, 2008, Colombian drugs lord found dead
- ↑ http://2001-2009.state.gov/p/inl/narc/rewards/39417.htm
- ↑ http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2011/November/11-crm-1475.html
External links
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