Dario Antonio Úsuga

Úsuga was a member of the Popular Liberation Army, a communist guerilla group, until it disbanded in 1991.[7] He then joined the United Self-Defences of Colombia (Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, or AUC), a Colombian far-right paramilitary and drug trafficking group.[7]

In 2005 Úsuga began working for Daniel Rendón Herrera, the then leader of the Los Urabeños drug trafficking group.[8] Úsuga and his brother Giovanni, (Juan de Dios Usuga) took control of the Los Urabeños in 2009.[7] After Giovanni was shot and killed during a police raid, Dario Antonio took full leadership of the group.[7]

Colombian police have sought the arrest of Úsuga since around 2011.[6] In 2015, the BBC reported that 1,200 Colombian anti-drug police were involved in the search for Úsuga.[9] The same year a Colombian police helicopter searching for Úsuga crashed, killing 18.[10] In 2017 the US Department of State offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest.[3][1] Also in 2017, Colombian anti-trafficking police dropped flyers from helicopters offering a $5 million reward for information leading to his capture.[11] In 2017 Úsuga published a video on Facebook in which he offered to submit to a negotiated surrender.[12][13]

In early 2021 Colombian authorities intensified their search efforts for Úsuga, following heightened levels of cocaine production.[6]

Early in October 2021, Colombian intelligence officials identified Úsuga's likely hideout as being in the Urabá, Antioquia region of north-western Colombia, near the Panamanian border.[6][14][15] The detection of his location was facilitated by the tracking of cartel members who were bringing him a specific type of medication to treat his kidney disease.[6] Early on the morning of October 22, a military team codenamed El Blanco surrounded his believed hiding place with hundreds of troops, 20 helicopters, 10 unmanned surveillance drones.[6] The capture involved blocking rivers and roads that could have been used as escape routes.[6] Colombian Navy ships were stationed offshore to prevent any escape by sea.[6] Colombian military forces subsequently captured Úsuga, who was revealed to be hiding in a remote mountainous area.[14][15] Úsuga was captured the afternoon of October 23,[6] and at the time of his arrest, Úsuga was the most wanted drug lord in Colombia, with the Colombian government issuing an $800,000 bounty for his capture.[16] He was also revealed to still be involved in trafficking, though his cartel by this point was severely weakened.[17]

Colombia plans to extradite "Otoniel" to the United States where he is wanted on a number of charges.[18]