Cuba Sends Drug Cartel Suspect Wanted by U.S. to Colombia

On February 8, 2007, Cuba transferred Luis Hernando Gómez Bustamante, the alleged leader of a Colombian drug cartel, to Colombia. The transfer of Gómez Bustamante, who the U.S. has prioritized on its list of Colombian drug figures, marks a significant breakthrough: U.S. authorities should now be able to gain custody of him. Cuban authorities delivered Gómez Bustamante to Colombia antinarcotics agents, who then transported him to Colombia on an air force plane. Also known as Rasguño or Scratch, he is allegedly the head of the Norte del Valle cartel, and had been detained in Cuba since his 2004 arrest on immigration charges. According to U.S. media accounts, he is wanted in New York City on federal charges of money laundering, racketeering and drug smuggling. On October 10, 2002, the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) indicted him for drug trafficking and money laundering ... [more]