Juan Carlos Ramírez Abadía
Encyclopedia
Juan Carlos Ramírez Abadía (Alias "Chupeta") (born February 16, 1963 in Palmira, Colombia
) is a drug trafficker who, until his capture, was one of the leaders of the North Valley Cartel (Norte del Valle Cartel
), who was wanted on drug smuggling, murder and RICO charges
in the United States of America
. In addition to the trafficking of cocaine
, it is believed Abadia also participated in money laundering
and trafficking of heroin. Through Abadias' illegal enterprise, he has amassed a fortune estimated at $
1.8 billion by the US Department of State
. He has been cited as "... one of the most powerful and most elusive drug traffickers in Colombia" by Adam J. Szubin, Director of the U.S. Department of the Treasury's
Office of Foreign Assets Control
(OFAC).
On August 7, 2007 Ramírez Abadía was arrested in São Paulo
, Brazil
, in an exclusive area called Aldeia da Serra. On March 13, 2008, the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil granted his extradition
to the United States. "Chupeta" was extradited to the United States on Friday, August 22, 2008.
, named after the area they operated out of, Cali Colombia
, where it is believed Abadia operated his drug trafficking empire. By the mid 1990s he was believed to have smuggled "multi-thousand kilograms of cocaine" yearly into San Antonio, Texas
and Los Angeles, California
through Mexico
. Abadias' operation is believed to rely on shipping containers
and go-fast boat
s primarily, making use of routes along the Pacific Coast
. Once the drugs arrive in their destination in the United States, it is then believed they are transported to New York City
, where distribution cells controlled by Abadia then sell the product. During the mid 1990s Abadia was believed to be the youngest leader of the Cali cartel.
Abadia surrendered in March 1996 to Colombian officials and was sentenced to 24 years in prison. It is believed Abadia surrendered due to a fear for his personal safety and to be eligible for a more lenient prison sentence. Prior to his arrest, it is estimated Abadia smuggled a total of twenty metric tons of cocaine. The United States Department of State
believes Abadia continued his operation and control over smuggling throughout his time in prison, and continued upon his early release in 2002. In 2003, the US State Department believes Abadia expanded his operation and began smuggling heroin into the US through ships. It is also believed Abadia began to associate himself with the Norte del Valle cartel upon his release from prison.
In November 1994, Abadia was indicted
in the District of Colorado
,in 2004 in the Eastern District of New York
and, again indicted in 2006 in Eastern District of New York. Between state indictments a federal jury in March, 2004 brought forth a federal indictment on RICO charges, for his leadership in the Norte del Valle cartel, and drug trafficking. Requests from the Department of State to Colombia for the extradition of Abadia have been denied. A provisional arrest warrant
has been issued and sent to the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá
, as well as, a 5 million dollar bounty placed on Abadia for his arrest.
In August 2000 the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) declared Abadia a "Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker," allowing the seizure of funds connected to, or stemming from his illegal activities. The OFAC announced on August 29, 2006, the seizure of assets from two companies related to Abadia, a pharmaceutical distribution company
, Disdrogas Ltda. and a Colombian holdings company
, Ramirez Abadia y Cia. S.C.S. Disdrogas Ltda., originally named Ramirez y Cia. Ltda, was operated by Abadias' parents Omar Ramírez Ponce and Carmen Alicia Abadía Bastidas, and his business associates Jorge Rodrigo Salinas Cuevas and Edgar Marino Otalora Restrepo. The now defunct Ramirez Abadia y Cia. S.C.S was believed to be used to hold real estate
and other assets for Abadia.
In January 2007, Colombian officials stepped up efforts to combat the drug cartels in a series of raids targeting their financial holdings. In a one week period Colombian officials discovered over $54 million in cash and gold ingots
, hidden in buildings in the south-eastern portion of Cali. The stash of money and gold was located in vacuum sealed plastic bags inside locked steel chambers covered in concrete which was tiled over. The residents of the houses were arrested and taken into custody. The $54 million was only a portion of the estimated $1.8 billion estimated fortune.
On August 7, 2007, Abadia was arrested in Aldeia da Serra, a wealthy neighborhood of Barueri
, state of São Paulo, by Brazilian Federal Police
during a raid. An auction of his belongings following his arrest led to an enormous queue of Brazilians trying to get their hands on one of the drug lord's goods.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
) is a drug trafficker who, until his capture, was one of the leaders of the North Valley Cartel (Norte del Valle Cartel
Norte del Valle Cartel
The Norte del Valle Cartel, or North Valley Cartel, is a drug cartel that operates principally in the north of the Valle del Cauca department of Colombia...
), who was wanted on drug smuggling, murder and RICO charges
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act
The Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly referred to as the RICO Act or simply RICO, is a United States federal law that provides for extended criminal penalties and a civil cause of action for acts performed as part of an ongoing criminal organization...
in the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In addition to the trafficking of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, it is believed Abadia also participated in money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
and trafficking of heroin. Through Abadias' illegal enterprise, he has amassed a fortune estimated at $
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
1.8 billion by the US Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
. He has been cited as "... one of the most powerful and most elusive drug traffickers in Colombia" by Adam J. Szubin, Director of the U.S. Department of the Treasury's
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
Office of Foreign Assets Control
Office of Foreign Assets Control
The Office of Foreign Assets Control is an agency of the United States Department of the Treasury under the auspices of the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. OFAC administers and enforces economic and trade sanctions based on U.S...
(OFAC).
On August 7, 2007 Ramírez Abadía was arrested in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, in an exclusive area called Aldeia da Serra. On March 13, 2008, the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil granted his extradition
Extradition
Extradition is the official process whereby one nation or state surrenders a suspected or convicted criminal to another nation or state. Between nation states, extradition is regulated by treaties...
to the United States. "Chupeta" was extradited to the United States on Friday, August 22, 2008.
Relations to Cali cartel
Abadia is believed to have entered into drug trafficking in 1986 under the Cali CartelCali Cartel
The Cali Cartel was a drug cartel based in southern Colombia, around the city of Cali and the Valle del Cauca Department. The Cali Cartel was founded by the Rodríguez Orejuela brothers, Gilberto and Miguel, as well as associate José Santacruz Londoño...
, named after the area they operated out of, Cali Colombia
Santiago de Cali
Santiago de Cali , simply referred to as Cali, is a city in western Colombia and the capital of the Valle del Cauca Department. With a population of 2.5 million, Cali is the third largest city in the country. It has one of the fastest growing economies and infrastructure in the country because...
, where it is believed Abadia operated his drug trafficking empire. By the mid 1990s he was believed to have smuggled "multi-thousand kilograms of cocaine" yearly into San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
and Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
through Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Abadias' operation is believed to rely on shipping containers
Containerization
Containerization is a system of freight transport based on a range of steel intermodal containers...
and go-fast boat
Go-fast boat
A go-fast boat, or cigarette boat, is a small, fast boat designed with a long narrow platform and a planing hull to enable it to reach high speeds....
s primarily, making use of routes along the Pacific Coast
Pacific Coast
A country's Pacific coast is the part of its coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.-The Americas:Countries on the western side of the Americas have a Pacific coast as their western border.* Geography of Canada* Geography of Chile* Geography of Colombia...
. Once the drugs arrive in their destination in the United States, it is then believed they are transported to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where distribution cells controlled by Abadia then sell the product. During the mid 1990s Abadia was believed to be the youngest leader of the Cali cartel.
Abadia surrendered in March 1996 to Colombian officials and was sentenced to 24 years in prison. It is believed Abadia surrendered due to a fear for his personal safety and to be eligible for a more lenient prison sentence. Prior to his arrest, it is estimated Abadia smuggled a total of twenty metric tons of cocaine. The United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
believes Abadia continued his operation and control over smuggling throughout his time in prison, and continued upon his early release in 2002. In 2003, the US State Department believes Abadia expanded his operation and began smuggling heroin into the US through ships. It is also believed Abadia began to associate himself with the Norte del Valle cartel upon his release from prison.
Law enforcement actions
Indictment
An indictment , in the common-law legal system, is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that maintain the concept of felonies, the serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that lack the concept of felonies often use that of an indictable offence—an...
in the District of Colorado
United States District Court for the District of Colorado
The United States District Court for the District of Colorado is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is the state of Colorado. The United States Congress organized Colorado as a single judicial district on June 26, 1876, by 19 Stat. 61...
,in 2004 in the Eastern District of New York
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York is the federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the entirety of Long Island and Staten Island...
and, again indicted in 2006 in Eastern District of New York. Between state indictments a federal jury in March, 2004 brought forth a federal indictment on RICO charges, for his leadership in the Norte del Valle cartel, and drug trafficking. Requests from the Department of State to Colombia for the extradition of Abadia have been denied. A provisional arrest warrant
Arrest warrant
An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by and on behalf of the state, which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual.-Canada:Arrest warrants are issued by a judge or justice of the peace under the Criminal Code of Canada....
has been issued and sent to the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, as well as, a 5 million dollar bounty placed on Abadia for his arrest.
In August 2000 the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) declared Abadia a "Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker," allowing the seizure of funds connected to, or stemming from his illegal activities. The OFAC announced on August 29, 2006, the seizure of assets from two companies related to Abadia, a pharmaceutical distribution company
Pharmaceutical company
The pharmaceutical industry develops, produces, and markets drugs licensed for use as medications. Pharmaceutical companies are allowed to deal in generic and/or brand medications and medical devices...
, Disdrogas Ltda. and a Colombian holdings company
Holding company
A holding company is a company or firm that owns other companies' outstanding stock. It usually refers to a company which does not produce goods or services itself; rather, its purpose is to own shares of other companies. Holding companies allow the reduction of risk for the owners and can allow...
, Ramirez Abadia y Cia. S.C.S. Disdrogas Ltda., originally named Ramirez y Cia. Ltda, was operated by Abadias' parents Omar Ramírez Ponce and Carmen Alicia Abadía Bastidas, and his business associates Jorge Rodrigo Salinas Cuevas and Edgar Marino Otalora Restrepo. The now defunct Ramirez Abadia y Cia. S.C.S was believed to be used to hold real estate
Real estate
In general use, esp. North American, 'real estate' is taken to mean "Property consisting of land and the buildings on it, along with its natural resources such as crops, minerals, or water; immovable property of this nature; an interest vested in this; an item of real property; buildings or...
and other assets for Abadia.
In January 2007, Colombian officials stepped up efforts to combat the drug cartels in a series of raids targeting their financial holdings. In a one week period Colombian officials discovered over $54 million in cash and gold ingots
Gold bar
A gold bar is a quantity of refined metallic gold of any shape that is made by a bar producer meeting standard conditions of manufacture, labeling, and record keeping....
, hidden in buildings in the south-eastern portion of Cali. The stash of money and gold was located in vacuum sealed plastic bags inside locked steel chambers covered in concrete which was tiled over. The residents of the houses were arrested and taken into custody. The $54 million was only a portion of the estimated $1.8 billion estimated fortune.
On August 7, 2007, Abadia was arrested in Aldeia da Serra, a wealthy neighborhood of Barueri
Barueri
Barueri is a Brazilian city in the state of São Paulo located in the northwestern part of the Greater São Paulo metropolitan area. The population in 2006 is estimated to be 265,549, the population density is 4,149.2 per km² and the area of 64 km²....
, state of São Paulo, by Brazilian Federal Police
Brazilian Federal Police
The Polícia Federal is the federal police force of Brazil subordinate to the Ministry of Justice, whose main assignments are the investigations of crimes against the Federal Government or its organs and companies, the combat of international drug trafficking and terrorism, and immigration and...
during a raid. An auction of his belongings following his arrest led to an enormous queue of Brazilians trying to get their hands on one of the drug lord's goods.
See also
- Cali CartelCali CartelThe Cali Cartel was a drug cartel based in southern Colombia, around the city of Cali and the Valle del Cauca Department. The Cali Cartel was founded by the Rodríguez Orejuela brothers, Gilberto and Miguel, as well as associate José Santacruz Londoño...
- CocaineCocaineCocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
- Cuba-United States relationsCuba-United States relationsCuba and the United States of America have had an interest in one another since well before either of their independence movements. Plans for purchase of Cuba from the Spanish Empire were put forward at various times by United States...
- Narcotrafficking in Colombia
- Norte del Valle CartelNorte del Valle CartelThe Norte del Valle Cartel, or North Valley Cartel, is a drug cartel that operates principally in the north of the Valle del Cauca department of Colombia...
- Medellín CartelMedellín CartelThe Medellín Cartel was an organized network of "drug suppliers and smugglers" originating in the city of Medellín, Colombia. The drug cartel operated in Colombia, Bolivia, Peru, Central America, the United States, as well as Canada and Europe throughout the 1970s and 1980s. It was founded and...