The scandals in the National Police do not stop, after a new chapter of the investigation being carried out against three majors and a patrolman of the institution was revealed, for their alleged participation in the drug trafficking business.
In fact, although the news was known in August 2023, on the morning of this Sunday, May 5, a new advance in the investigation was known, which has revealed a dense network of corruption that links senior officials of the National Police. from Colombia.
The investigation, which began with the arrest of the three officers, has escalated to implicate the former deputy director of the Police, General Tito Castellanos, in a case that could shake the power structures in the country, as revealed by Cambio magazine.
The accused officers, identified as Majors Pablo Andrés Uribe, Carlos Mario Montoya, Andrés Felipe Osorio, and Patrolman Elkin José Tovio, were accused of their participation in a scheme that began with the theft of rewards intended for the fight against drug trafficking. and then associated with criminal organizations such as the Clan del Golfo and La Cordillera in cocaine trafficking.
In fact, the national media pointed out that the work of the structure was confusing and its tactics allowed those involved to operate with impunity, defrauding both drug traffickers and authorities, by charging for the safe transportation of drugs to Colombian ports and their departure to Europe, and then denounce those same shipments and claim rewards.
Even the testimonies that weigh against the general would indicate that Castellanos was one of the protagonists in the corruption and crime network, and he is accused of receiving money from illegal groups such as the Clan del Golfo in exchange for privileged information obtained from intelligence agencies. security like the DEA.
The case took an even more serious turn when one of those involved mentioned Castellanos, which led the Delegate Prosecutor’s Office to the Supreme Court of Justice to open a preliminary investigation in April of this year. Castellanos, who had been removed from his position in December of the previous year, is a name known not only for his long career in Anti-Narcotics but also for his involvement in several scandals that have dotted his career.
In fact, he appears linked to scandals involving the structure of Diego Marín and alias ‘El Benceso’, in addition to being questioned for the escape of alias Matamba and the irregular releases from prison of Carlos Mattos. However, when his departure was announced to the public, they managed to divert attention by ensuring that it was a power struggle with the then general Carlos Triana.
In addition, the national media has revealed that Castellanos had the support of high-level political figures, including links with then-president Iván Duque who, apparently, was essential for him to remain in his position despite growing suspicions and accusations. against him. In fact, on several occasions, General Castellanos would have made public his relationship with the president, according to police sources.
For his part, Castellanos has decided to remain silent about the accusations, suggesting that they could be part of a strategy to discredit him. However, as the investigation progresses and testimonies corroborated by civilian and official sources, the general’s legal situation becomes more complicated.
This scandal not only threatens to unmask the highest levels of corruption within the National Police, but also calls into question the effectiveness of internal control and counterintelligence mechanisms. The extraditions requested by the United States of the three majors involved could open a Pandora’s box, revealing the extent to which drug trafficking networks have infiltrated the institutions in charge of combating them.
Until now, the authorities would have in their possession the amounts that the criminal network within the Police would have received, however, the values would remain hidden so as not to hinder the investigations. With Infobae