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| Colombian 'drug lord' is captured | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Police in Colombia have captured the man they regard as the country's top drug baron, Diego Montoya. | Police in Colombia have captured the man they regard as the country's top drug baron, Diego Montoya. |
| He was arrested in his home province of Valle del Cauca. | |
| Mr Montoya - known in Colombia's underworld as the "boss of bosses" - appears on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation's "10 Most Wanted" list. | Mr Montoya - known in Colombia's underworld as the "boss of bosses" - appears on the US Federal Bureau of Investigation's "10 Most Wanted" list. |
| He is accused of producing tons of cocaine for the US market. Officials say he helped found the Norte del Valle cartel based near the city of Cali. | He is accused of producing tons of cocaine for the US market. Officials say he helped found the Norte del Valle cartel based near the city of Cali. |
| The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Bogota says Mr Montoya's capture is a huge coup for the government and ends the reign of one of the legends of the Colombian underworld. | The BBC's Jeremy McDermott in Bogota says Mr Montoya's capture is a huge coup for the government and ends the reign of one of the legends of the Colombian underworld. |
| No warning | No warning |
| Mr Montoya, 49, was arrested with just two bodyguards and in the company of his mother, without the rings of security that have foiled attempted raids in the past. | Mr Montoya, 49, was arrested with just two bodyguards and in the company of his mother, without the rings of security that have foiled attempted raids in the past. |
| A recent scandal in the armed forces revealed that the drugs cartel had infiltrated the military, ensuring that Mr Montoya was warned about operations against him. | A recent scandal in the armed forces revealed that the drugs cartel had infiltrated the military, ensuring that Mr Montoya was warned about operations against him. |
| With this early warning system dismantled, it appears one of the world's most wanted men was surprised as he relaxed with his family, our correspondent says. | With this early warning system dismantled, it appears one of the world's most wanted men was surprised as he relaxed with his family, our correspondent says. |
| The FBI says the Norte del Valle cartel receives help from left-wing guerrillas and right-wing paramilitary groups. | The FBI says the Norte del Valle cartel receives help from left-wing guerrillas and right-wing paramilitary groups. |
| US authorities had offered a reward of $5m for information leading to Mr Montoya's arrest. | US authorities had offered a reward of $5m for information leading to Mr Montoya's arrest. |
| Colombia's Defence Minister, Juan Manuel Santos, said Mr Montoya controlled a vast trafficking network responsible for about 70% of the cocaine smuggled to the US and Europe. | |
| Mr Montoya's private army of assassins, called Los Machos, was behind some 1,500 killings, Mr Santos said. | |
| "Drug traffickers take note: This is the future that awaits you," the minister told a news conference. | |
| It is expected that the Colombian authorities will begin proceedings to extradite Mr Montoya to the US, where he has been indicted on drug trafficking charges. | |
| In July, Colombia extradited another alleged leader of the cartel, Luis Hernando Gomez Bustamante, to the US. He had been arrested in Cuba in July 2004 after entering on a false passport and was returned to Colombia earlier this year. |