Colombia Drug Lord Arrested, Sent to U.S.

Carlos Lehder Rivas, allegedly one of the three top cocaine traffickers in the world, was arrested Wednesday in Colombia, and U.S. law enforcement officials said he was being brought to the United States to stand trial on drug charges.

Federal Drug Enforcement Administration officials said Wednesday that the agency had sought Lehder, 37, for several years and that the government of Colombia had approved two extradition orders for him in 1984.

In Washington, Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese III said the arrest and extradition of Lehder “represents a major victory by the government of Colombia in the war on narcotics trafficking.”

Justice Department and DEA sources said Lehder was being brought into the Tampa, Fla., area. A DEA special agent, Al Henley, said that “for security reasons,” details could not be disclosed on the arrival. Lehder is to be arraigned today before a federal magistrate.

Threat Against DEA Chief

Lehder was wanted in the United States on a string of drug charges, including conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and import cocaine, as well as possession.

He gained notoriety in the United States in early 1985 when he announced that he would pay $350,000 to anyone who could kill or capture and bring him the DEA chief. He offered lower rewards for lesser officials, and security at DEA offices worldwide was dramatically increased.

Federal law enforcement sources said Wednesday that the Colombian government quickly agreed to the extradition because it thinks that Lehder is too dangerous to be kept in custody in Colombia.

Lehder has been identified in federal indictments as a top partner in the cartel believed to be responsible for producing most of the cocaine that enters the United States.

DEA officials said Lehder and 14 bodyguards were arrested during a raid conducted by Colombian military and law enforcement personnel at a ranch near Medellin, the heart of Colombia’s cocaine region.

Armed bodyguards resisted the police attack, authorities said.