Juan Carlos Ramirez-Abadia (Captured)

Aliases: Chupeta, Cien, Don Augusto, El Patron, Gustavo Ortiz, Charlie Pareja
DOB: February 16, 1963
Alt. DOB: February 19, 1963
POB: Palmira, Colombia
Nationality: Colombian
Citizenship: Colombia
Height: 5 feet 6 inches
Weight: 165 pounds
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown

Juan Carlos Ramirez-Abadia was one of the most significant cocaine traffickers in Colombia, and operated primarily from the area of Cali, Colombia. Ramirez-Abadia’s activities may also have included heroin trafficking and money laundering. Ramirez-Abadia was extremely violent and has been charged with homicides in Colombia. He is alleged to have ordered the execution of several traffickers.

Ramirez-Abadia has been involved in drug trafficking activities since at least 1986. During the mid 1990s, Ramirez-Abadia’s organization was smuggling multi-thousand kilograms of cocaine annually to Los Angeles and San Antonio through Mexico, by ships or go-fast vessels utilizing routes along the Pacific coast. In addition, the organization had several distribution cells operating in New York City. During the 1990s, Ramirez-Abadia maintained cells and money laundering operations in San Antonio and Houston, and may still hold them today. Reporting in 2003 indicates that Ramirez-Abadia was using vessels to transport kilogram quantities of heroin to the United States, in addition to his cocaine trafficking activities.
Ramirez-Abadia has been arrested at least twice in Colombia, and was released sometime in 2001 or 2002 after serving approximately three years. Ramirez-Abadia continued his drug trafficking activities while serving time in Colombian jails.

Judicial Status: Ramirez-Abadia was indicted in the District of Colorado in November 1994. He was also indicted in the Eastern District of New York in 1994 and 1996. In March, 2004, a federal grand jury in Washington D.C. indicted Ramirez on drug trafficking and RICO charges stemming from his leadership of the North Valle Cartel. According to the indictment, the North Valle Cartel exported approximately 500 metric tons of cocaine worth in excess of $10 billion from Colombia to the U.S. between 1990 and 2004. A provisional arrest warrant was issued and sent to the U.S. Embassy in Bogota.

On August 7, 2007, Juan Carlos Ramirez Abadia was arrested in Brazil by Brazilian Federal Police.