FARC Commander Oliver Solarte Killed in Columbia

FARC commander "Oliver Solarte," who was killed Monday by Colombian armed forces in Putumayo, was one of the group's key drugs and arms smugglers and a link to Mexican drug cartels, President Juan Manuel Santos announced late Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters in Bogota, Santos stated that Solarte was a key contact with Mexican drug gangs, adding, "He was a very important part of the FARC ... He handled all the drugs and arms trafficking of the FARC's Southern Bloc. He was among the Central Command and only responded to the Secretariat."

Solarte had been a member of the FARC for 20 years and had three arrest warrants against him in Colombia, for terrorism, extortion, kidnapping, aggravated murder, rebellion and aggravated theft. In addition, he had an extradition request against him from the U.S. for drug trafficking.

Santos described the death of Solarte, who had become leader of the 48th Front last year after the death in January 2010 of its previous leader, "Edgar Tovar," as a "major blow" to the guerrilla group.

Head of the Colombian armed forces Admiral Edgar Cely added to reporters that the same operation that saw Solarte killed saw the seizure of communications equipment, six grenades and eleven phones.

Santos reiterated that should the FARC continue with their terrorist activity, they will fall, one after another, as Solarte did.

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New Mexico Arms Traffickers Arrested

COLUMBUS, NEW MEXICO (BNO NEWS) -- Columbus, New Mexico mayor, the police chief and 9 more on Thursday were indicted in a firearms trafficking case, prosecutors said on Friday.
The indictment charged eleven individuals who are suspected members of a firearms trafficking ring headquartered in Columbus, New Mexico, a small border village across from the Mexican city of Puerto Palomas, on firearms and smuggling charges.

The 11 people charged in the 84-count indictment include Angelo Vega, the Columbus chief of police; Eddie Espinoza, the mayor of Columbus; and Blas Gutierrez, a village trustee in Columbus.

"Gutierrez, Espinoza and Vega were duty sworn to protect and safeguard the people of Columbus, New Mexico," said U.S. Attorney Kenneth Gonzales. "Instead, they increased the risk of harm that the people of Columbus face every day by allegedly using their official positions to facilitate and safeguard the operations of a smuggling ring that was exporting firearms to Mexico."

Ten of them were arrested without incidents on Thursday morning. One defendant, Ignacio Villalobos, is at large. In addition, law enforcement agents executed ten search warrants at eight residences, including the office of the Columbus Police Department.

Between January 2010 and March 2011, the defendants engaged in a conspiracy to purchase firearms for illegal export to Mexico. The trafficking ring allegedly purchased approximately 200 firearms from Chaparral Guns in Chaparral, New Mexico, which is owned and operated by defendant Ian Garland.

The weapons purchased were the ones known to be favored by Mexican drug cartels, such as AK-47-type pistols, weapons resembling AK-47 rifles but with shorter barrels and without rear stocks, and American Tactical 9 mm caliber pistols.

During the investigation, 40 AK-47 type pistols, 1,580 rounds of 7.62 ammunition, and 30 high-capacity magazines were seized from the defendants before they crossed the U.S.-Mexico border.

At least twelve weapons allegedly purchased by the defendants were later found in Mexico. The investigation was initiated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The year-long case was later expanded to include the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

The Rest @ BNO News