Major FARC Accomplice Under Extradition to U.S.

A major contributor to the Colombian drug-terrorism group, FARC, is being extradited to the United States to face cocaine importation charges.

Juan Jose Martinez Vega, also known as Chiguiro or Gentil Alvis Patino, is indicted on charges that he worked closely with FARC to make sure they were able to produce large amounts of cocaine and smuggle the drugs into the United States and other countries.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration indicates that Vega secured weapons, ammunition, money and other materials in exchange for cocaine paste and cocaine. The indictment declares that Vega made dozens of cocaine deliveries to FARC, including a delivery of about 37 tons of weaponry in exchange for 750 million Colombian pesos and 2,500 kilos of cocaine paste in 2002.

According to the indictment of Vega, the FARC would set rules to control the cocaine trade in Colombia, including requiring farmers sell their coca or cocaine paste to FARC at set prices. FARC would then create cocaine from the large amounts of cocaine paste. The indictment claims that any farmer that would violate their rules of selling them their cocaine paste would be murdered.

Also indicted related to these conspiracy charges was Erminso Cuevas Cabrera. Cabrera is the first charged FARC leader who arrived in the United States under extradition in 2007. Cabrera was the manager of the cocaine laboratories, according to the indictment. Cabrera is accused of overseeing the manufacturing and releasing of hundreds of tons of cocaine to benefit FARC.

Rodriguez Mendieta is also indicted with these conspiracy charges, as a member of the Estado Mayor of the FARC and other positions. Mendieta is accused of leading the purchasing efforts of hundreds of thousands of kilos of cocaine paste from farmers in Colombia. He's charged with operating a cocaine lab for FARC.

Mendieta is charged with murdering at least eight farmers who would not sell their cocaine paste to him. According to the indictment, Mendieta worked in conjunction with another defendant to retaliate against U.S. officials who were investigating the claims of injustice.

The highest-ranking FARC leaders are still at-large. About $75 million in reward money is being offered by the U.S. State Department to be given to individuals who can provide information leading to the arrest of these top FARC leaders.

The indictment of these individuals was truly historic, representing some 50 defendants in the cocaine importation conspiracy case of FARC's top leaders and those who helped them.