Changing Faces: Sinaloa Cartel's Longtime Colombia-Connect Sentenced to Prison

[Judi Lynn]

COCAINE
/
18 AUG 2023
BY HENRY SHULDINER

The sentencing of a notorious leader of Colombia’s Norte del Valle Cartel marks the end of a lucrative and bloody career that impacted the underworld throughout the Americas.

A New York District Court sentenced Juan Carlos Ramírez Abadia, alias “Chupeta,” on August 14 to 20 years for charges related to drug trafficking, money laundering, and homicide after he admitted to ordering the murders of 150 people, some of which he himself carried out, and shipping hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States.

Despite the scale of the crimes, Chupeta received a reduced sentence after serving as a key witness in the trial against Joaquín Guzmán Loera, alias “El Chapo,” detailing the cocaine trafficking connections between his Norte del Valle Cartel (NDVC) and the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel. He also testified against Jesús “El Rey” Zambada, brother of Ismael Zambada García, alias “El Mayo,” the current leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, and he may have testified in numerous other cases.

In his most recent testimony, Chupeta revealed how he helped send dozens of tons of cocaine to a Mexican group, who took care of transportation logistics across the US-Mexico border. Throughout his career, Chupeta exported some 500 tons of cocaine on planes, ships, and semi-submersibles, according to his testimony.

With credit for time already served and good behavior, he could be released sometime next year, noted journalist Keegan Hamilton. In addition to his notoriety in the criminal underworld, Chupeta is famous for a series of botched surgical procedures he underwent to avoid capture, completely reconstructing his face.

More:
https://insightcrime.org/news/changing-faces-sinaloa-cartels-longtime-colombia-connect-sentenced-to-prison/