Colombian drug lord Dairo Antonio “Otoniel” Úsuga faces at least 20 years in an American prison after pleading guilty to running a multi-billion dollar cocaine empire.
Usaga, who was once one of the world’s most wanted drug lords, pleaded guilty to smuggling in New York on Wednesday and admitted he led a cartel and paramilitary group that trafficked cocaine and deadly force.
“Tons of cocaine was transported with my permission or at my direction,” Úsuga said in federal court in Brooklyn.
“There was a lot of violence with the guerrilla and criminal gangs,” he added, acknowledging that “military work involved murders.”
Colombian drug lord Dairo Antonio “Otoniel” Úsuga faces at least 20 years in an American prison after pleading guilty to running a multi-billion dollar cocaine empire
51-year-old Úsuga, believed to be the most powerful capo in Colombia and dating back to Pablo Escobar, faces at least 20 years in prison if convicted, prosecutors said.
However, according to US District Judge Dora Irizarry, the US government agreed not to seek a life sentence in order to secure his extradition from Colombia earlier this year.
As part of his plea deal, he agreed to lose $216 million.
Úsuga presided over the Gulf clan, which terrorized much of northern Colombia to control key cocaine smuggling routes.
In 2011, the clan declared war on Los Rastrojos – a rival cartel – to take control of drug trafficking in Medellin, and over the following decade has grown into the country’s most powerful criminal organization.
It is believed to have around 3,000 members in its inner circle.
US authorities have described him as one of the most dangerous drug traffickers in the world, and he was Colombia’s most wanted kingpin.
Usaga, who was once one of the world’s most wanted drug lords, pleaded guilty to smuggling in New York on Wednesday and admitted he led a cartel and paramilitary group that trafficked cocaine and deadly force
51-year-old Úsuga, believed to be the most powerful capo in Colombia and dating back to Pablo Escobar, faces at least 20 years in prison if convicted, prosecutors said
“Today’s guilty plea ends the bloody reign of the most violent and prominent Colombian drug trafficker since Pablo Escobar,” Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement.
Defense attorney Paul Nalven said Úsuga was “very remorseful” and described him as “a child of the cycle of violence” that has rocked Colombia throughout his life. Úsuga, who has fourth-grade education, was drawn into guerrilla warfare at the age of 16, the lawyer said.
After his arrest, Úsuga asked his cartel to stop attacking the police, and he hopes the six-month truce recently enforced between President Gustavo Petro’s government, the Gulf clan and four other armed groups will be something fruitful brings, in the hope of promoting a lasting peace.
“He would like to see a better Colombia,” said Nalven.
The Gulf clan, also known as the Gaitanist Self Defense Forces of Colombia, has thousands of military-clad members fighting rival gangs, paramilitary groups and Colombian authorities to maintain a bloody grip on their turf near the Panama border, prosecutors said .
Dairo Antonio Usuga David, aka ‘Otoniel’, supreme leader of the Gulf clan is escorted by the Colombian military after his capture October 23, 2021 in Turbo, Colombia
Defense attorney Paul Nalven said Úsuga was “very remorseful” and described him as “a child of the cycle of violence” that has rocked Colombia throughout his life. Úsuga, who has fourth-grade education, was drawn into guerrilla warfare at the age of 16, the lawyer said
The cocaine smugglers pay for everything — including, Úsuga conceded, via “taxes” the group levies on any cocaine produced, stockpiled, or transported through its territory.
Úsuga ordered the killing and torture of perceived enemies, posted bounties for the killings of police officers and soldiers, and ordered campaigns to pursue them with military-grade weapons, according to prosecutors.
He exercised his power by declaring “strikes,” which have forced businesses to close and people to stay home — on pain of death, prosecutors said.
Úsuga has been named in a series of US indictments dating back to 2009. The US Drug Enforcement Administration offered a $5 million reward for information leading to his arrest, and the Colombian government offered $800,000. Over the years, Colombian authorities arrested or killed hundreds of cartel members, deployed over 1,000 police officers to search for the Kingpin, and publicized the US reward by dropping flyers from helicopters.
But Úsuga evaded capture until 2021 through a combination of corruption, ties to left- and right-wing combatants in his country’s internal conflict — he was part of groups on both sides — and a rural life without a grid. He allegedly used a different safe house each night.
Colombian drug lord and Gulf clan boss Dairo Antonio Usuga – also known as “Otoniel” – boards a plane in Bogota on May 4, 2022 to be extradited to the United States
Dairo Antonio Úsuga David (pictured center) was the leader of Colombia’s largest drug trafficking gang, known as the dreaded Gulf Clan. Now he has been extradited to the United States
Colombian drug lord Dairo Antonio ‘Otoniel’ Úsuga was spotted on a DEA jet before taking off from Bogotá, Colombia for John F. Kennedy International Airport
A military convoy escorts Colombian drug lord Dairo Antonio “Otoniel” Úsuga
When arrested, Iván Duque said Úsuga is “not only the most dangerous drug dealer in the world, but he is a killer of social leaders, a killer of boys, girls and youth, a killer of police officers”.
Úsuga was extradited to the United States last May.
Last June, Italian authorities carried out the third largest drug raid in European history, seizing 4.3 tons of cocaine from Usaga’s cartel.
The massive shipment, with a street value of $255.86 million, was seized by Colombian authorities before leaving for Europe, unbeknownst to the Clan del Golfo that their operation had been seized.