48 Indicted on Charges of Running New York-Colombia Cocaine Ring

Forty-eight suspected members of Colombia’s Cali drug cartel, including the alleged head of its New York operation, were indicted Monday on charges of running a huge cocaine distribution network in the city, officials said.

Twenty of those indicted by the Queens County Grand Jury have been arrested.

“This was an extraordinary success. This was no routine drug case,” New York Gov. Mario M. Cuomo told a news conference. “The investigation . . . has dealt a blow to the drug cartel operating out of Cali, Colombia.”

State and federal law officials said the Cali organization provides about 80% of the cocaine in New York.

The indictments follow last week’s surrender of Pablo Escobar, the head of the rival Medellin, Colombia, drug cartel, after Colombia decided against extraditing its drug lords to face trial in the United States.

Jaime Orjuela, said by officials to be the Cali-based chief of the New York operation, is in Cali and free from extradition.

But Ronald Goldstock, director of the Organized Crime Task Force, said Orjuela’s brother and top assistant, Henry Orjuela, was in custody. Also named were Gilberto Orjuela, also a brother, Fernando Forero and Pedro Velez, known as El Tigre.

Over six years the investigation netted more than 11 tons of cocaine, $24 million in cash, 74 vehicles and dozens of weapons, including Uzi submachine guns, semiautomatic handguns and assault rifles. Several of the suspects are also charged with weapons possession.