Alleged Colombian leader of ruthless cocaine-smuggling cartel arrested in Spain
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Spanish police say they have arrested a Colombian national suspected of being the leader of a ruthless criminal organization linked to 400 murders, international drug trafficking and extortion.
The 40-year-old man, identified as Hernan Alonso Villa and described as one of Colombia's most wanted criminals, was arrested Friday while driving on a highway on the outskirts of the southeastern Mediterranean port city of Alicante, police said in a statement.
Alonso Villa is alleged to be the head of a cartel, or criminal organization, from Medellin, Colombia. The cartel was founded by Diego Murillo Bejarano and has fought bloody turf wars with notorious drug baron Pablo Escobar.
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Saturday's statement says Alonso Villa had 200 people under his command and was responsible for exporting cocaine to Spain, United States and the Netherlands.