North Coast Cartel

North Coast Cartel

In	Colombia
Territory	Colombian Caribbean coast
Criminal activities	Illegal drug trade

The North Coast Cartel (Spanish: Cartel de la Costa or Cartel de la Costa Atlántica) was a drug cartel operating in northern Colombia mostly controlling the area of the Colombian Caribbean coast illegal drug trade flow from other regions of Colombia and neighboring countries and local production. The North Coast Cartel was headed by Alberto Orlandez-Gamboa "Caracol" (the snail), who in a vendetta eliminated the Valdeblanquez family. He was arrested on June 6, 1998 and extradited later to the United States where he pleaded guilty for numerous drug-related crimes. Other notable members of the North Coast cartel were the Nasser Arana family clan who owned several assets in Barranquilla some 270 properties, including the luxurious Hotel El Prado, which is now property of the Colombian government.^[1] The most prominent members of the clan were Julio Cesar Nasser David and his ex-wife Sheila Nasser Arana. She was captured in Switzerland and then extradited to the United states in September 1994. She accepted being responsible for sending to the United States some 30 shipments of cocaine and marijuana between 1976 and 1994. Her husband was also covered by the extradition but he died shortly of natural causes, on January 13, 2000.^[2][3] After serving time in prison, their son Jorge "Tito" Nasser Arana was killed by gunmen in Barranquilla exiting local gym.^[4] Jaime Arana, captured in early 1999, was acquitted in 2001. José David Hasbun was also acquitted. Carlos Alberto Nasser Arana was captured in 1998.^[5] Claudia Nasser Arana and Carlos Alberto "Capeto" Nasser Arana were found guilty of money laundering and illegal enrichment. Capeto unsuccessfully attempted to regain the Hotel del Prado and several other properties back from the Colombian gov't and currently is known to walk the streets selling various clothing items.

Other members

• Cursis Antonio Gonzalez aka "Crusito Gonzalez", assassinated in a commercial establishment in Barranquilla by gunment, he was a collaborator of Alberto Orlande Gamboa aka "El Caracol". He was killed after the extradition of this last one.^[6]

• Gustavo Salazar Bernal, killed in Cartagena on August 30, 2001 by gunman Jhon Fredy Orrego Marín who was associated to the Norte del Valle Cartel. He was killed for being responsible for "losing" a shipment of drugs bounded to Europe. His brother Hernando was also killed by the Norte del Valle Cartel.^[7]

See also

• Narcotrafficking in Colombia
• Hugues Rodriguez Fuentes
• Rodrigo Tovar Pupo

References

1. ^ Fiscalia.gov.ca
2. ^ Eldebate.com.ar
3. ^ USDOJ.goov
4. ^ Alpha.mindefensa.gov
5. ^ Fiscalia.go.co
6. ^ Alpha.mindefensa.gov.co
7. ^ Alpha.mindefensa.gov.co

External links

• US Office of the Treasury - some Nasser Arana clan assets