Around 500 troops and 22 helicopters were reportedly involved in the raid on Otoniel’s hideout in the jungle area of the Uraba region in the northwest of the country. The force was so overwhelming that even eight rings of security couldn’t save the drug lord from arrest this time.
The operation, in which one police officer lost his life, was carried out based on intelligence provided by the US and UK, according to the authorities.
Later on Saturday, a handcuffed Otoniel was presented to the media, surrounded by armed troops in full gear. In the picture, distributed by Colombia’s armed forces, the 50-year-old was seen sporting high rubber boots usually worn by farmers in the rural areas of the country.