By: Cristian Bohórquez/EL PILÓN
Enaldo Barrera Hernández, known as ‘Diomedito’, a Vallenato music singer, was captured by the authorities in the framework of ‘Operation Horizon’, in which a strong blow was given to a structure dedicated to drug trafficking in La Guajira. The artist participated in the RCN novel ‘Diomedes, El Cacique de la Junta’ recording the songs for the production.
At a press conference from Bogotá, the director of the Police, General William Salamanca, explained that the gang had interference in the departments of La Guajira, Atlántico, Bolívar and Magdalena and was led by alias El Cóndor, Edicto Segundo Castañeda Hernández.
The National Police indicated that the leader of the organization allegedly had ties to the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico and would have sent close to 90 tons of cocaine to the United States, with a value of 1,800 million dollars.
In total, they captured 23 people allegedly linked to the criminal structure. In the case of Enaldo Barrera Hernández, he appeared in the organization chart of the network led by ‘El Cóndor’ and was in the “finance” line, together with Orlando Piñeros, César Díaz and Jollman García.
“It had the largest traffic capacity and control over exit platforms for investing drug traffickers in Colombia and Venezuela, making monthly shipments of up to 8 tons,” the Police explained in response to the case.
During the operation, another 17 members of the gang were also captured in Bogotá, Santa Marta, Barranquilla and La Guajira: ‘El Gordo’, ‘Puerco’, ‘Amílcar’, ‘Parce’, ‘Diomeditos’, ‘Orlando’, ‘ Maye’, ‘Secre’, ‘Merras’, ‘César’, ‘Chichongo’, ‘Jaime’, ‘Camello’, ‘Rafa’, ‘Sabroso’, ‘Gordito’ and ‘Old Edi’, including network coordinators, financiers and route controllers.
In the action, 10 firearms, 16 ammunition chargers, 276 cartridges, 31 cell phones, 3 tablets, 4 laptops, 2 HF radios, a bill counter and 160 million pesos in cash were also seized.
The organization carried out monthly drug shipments of up to eight tons of cocaine to Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Mexico and, finally, the United States.
Strategically, they also used the natural ports of Puerto Inglés and Puerto López, in the district of Parajimaruhú (Uribia), from where they coordinated the collection and departure of illicit substances.
According to the investigators, ‘El Cóndor’, 46 years old and with a criminal history of approximately 15 years in drug trafficking, must answer for the crimes of trafficking, manufacturing or carrying narcotics and aggravated conspiracy to commit a crime.
‘Diomedito’ had paid sentence
Enaldo Barrera was arrested in the United States for drug possession in 2001 when he was going to promote his musical work ‘Por quererte tanto’.
After serving a 10-year sentence, he returned to Colombia and participated in the bionovela by Diomedes Díaz. Currently, she was preparing to launch her new album ‘Buscando un amor’ in La Mesa, Cundinamarca.
BACKGROUND
In 2001, the vallenato artist traveled to the United States to promote his record ‘Por quererte tanto’, but the authorities they found drugs in his luggage. Because of this, he was imprisoned for 10 years in the North American country and in March 2012 he returned to Colombia and continued his musical career.
This weekend, Diomedito had scheduled the presentation of his new record work ‘Looking for a love’ in La Mesa, Cundinamarca.