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Colombia captures top drug lord Colombia captures top drug lord
(about 1 hour later)
Colombian authorities have arrested the country's most wanted drug lord, the government has said.Colombian authorities have arrested the country's most wanted drug lord, the government has said.
Daniel Rendon Herrera, known as "Don Mario", was captured early on Wednesday near Necocli in north-western Colombia, officials said.Daniel Rendon Herrera, known as "Don Mario", was captured early on Wednesday near Necocli in north-western Colombia, officials said.
The government had offered a bounty of up to $2m (£1.3m) for information leading to his arrest.The government had offered a bounty of up to $2m (£1.3m) for information leading to his arrest.
Colombia is a major global supplier of cocaine. Drug trafficking has fuelled the country's decades-long conflict.Colombia is a major global supplier of cocaine. Drug trafficking has fuelled the country's decades-long conflict.
Earlier this year Daniel Rendon Herrera offered his gunmen almost $1,000 for each police officer they murdered, as security forces closed in on his network. Daniel Rendon is accused of smuggling hundreds of tonnes of cocaine from an area on the Caribbean coast controlled in the 1990s by his brother - a paramilitary leader who is now in prison.
Once a paramilitary in a now-demobilised group, he had refused to surrender as part of a peace deal. The US has requested his extradition.
Instead he used paramilitary networks to build up a personal army of up to 1,000 people, also striking a deal with left-wing Farc rebels, the BBC's Jeremy McDermott reports from the capital, Bogota. Earlier this year he offered his gunmen almost $1,000 for each police officer they murdered, as security forces closed in on his network.
Authorities had been tracking him for months, but he had always managed to stay one step ahead of them until now, he says. 'Breathing easy'
More than 500 anti-narcotics police commandos were involved in the operation to arrest him, Efe news agency reported. Once a paramilitary in a branch of the now-demobilised United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), Daniel Rendon had refused to surrender as part of a peace deal.
He is accused of smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine from an area on the Caribbean coast controlled in the 1990s by his brother - a paramilitary leader who is now in prison. DANIEL RENDON HERRERA Former AUC paramilitary group leaderBrother of jailed paramilitary leader Freddy HerreraLed up to 1,000 heavily armed menOperated in northern fiefdom in Antioquia province
When authorities have cut off the head of drugs cartels in the past, several more heads have grown, and there could now be a period of bloodletting as others try to take over, our correspondent adds. Instead he used paramilitary networks to build up a personal army of up to 1,000 heavily-armed fighters, also striking a deal with left-wing Farc rebels, the BBC's Jeremy McDermott reports from the capital, Bogota.
Authorities had been tracking the 43-year-old for months, but he had always managed to stay one step ahead of them until now, he says.
More than 500 anti-narcotics police commandos were reportedly involved in the operation to arrest him, which was led by police chief Gen Oscar Naranjo.
President Alvaro Uribe, who was on a visit to Brazil at the time of the arrest, was said to be "breathing easy" after being briefed by phone.
But, adds our correspondent, when authorities have cut off the head of drugs cartels in the past, several more heads have grown, and there could now be a period of bloodletting as others try to take over.
Illegal armed groups are heavily involved in the drugs trade in Colombia, using the profits to fund their activities.
Much of the cocaine produced in Colombia is smuggled into the US through Mexico, where there has been a sharp rise in drug-related violence.Much of the cocaine produced in Colombia is smuggled into the US through Mexico, where there has been a sharp rise in drug-related violence.
Colombian cocaine is also trafficked to Europe, often through West Africa.
The US is the primary funder of Colombia's anti-drugs programme, Plan Colombia, which began in 2000.
The UN reported a reduction in the amount of coca grown during the early years of the plan, but said coca cultivation rose by 27% in 2007.