U.S. Extradites Top Colombian Drug Trafficker To So. Fla.
MIAMI - (CBSMiami.com) -A Colombian man accused of trafficking cocaine into numerous countries including the United States was extradited to the South Florida early this week.
Ramon Quintero Sanclemente had been arrested in Colombia on April of 2010 and was awaiting extradition. On Monday, Sanclemente made his first appearance in the Fort Lauderdale federal court.
Sanclemente faces charges of conspiracy to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the U.S. on various dates from 1998 through December 4, 2008. He is also charged with conspiracy for attempting launder the money made from drug sales.
If convicted, Sanclemente could face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison on each drug count and he faces a maximum of 20 years behind bars for the money laundering charges.
"The extradition of Quintero Sanclemente to South Florida is the result of the close working relationship between United States and Colombian law enforcement authorities," said U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer in a prepared statement. "Federal prosecutors and agents in South Florida remain deeply committed to eradicating the Colombian drug cartels and shutting off the supply of cocaine reaching our borders from abroad."
