FBIS3-22038 "jptdd013__l94041"
JPRS-tdd-94-013-L Document Type:JPRS Document Title:Narcotics 24 March 1994
LATIN AMERICA COLOMBIA

`Key Man' in Drug Cartel Surrenders to Authorities

PA2303194894 Santa Fe de Bogota Inravision Television Cadena 1 in Spanish 1730 GMT 24 Mar 94 PA2303194894 Santa Fe de Bogota Inravision Television Cadena 1 Language: Spanish Article Type:BFN [From the "National Newscast''] [Text] [Anchorwoman Yolanda Ruiz] Another key man in the cartel of northern Valle del Cauca has just surrendered. He is Joyner Ospina Montoya, charged with drug trafficking and money laundering. In the negotiations prior to his surrender, his lawyers reportedly reached an agreement on a sentence that could mean he would only serve two years in jail. The "National Newscast" was the only medium to witness the surrender. [Reporter Sandra Vergara] Joyner Ospina Montoya appeared before the Regional Office of the Prosecutor General in Cali at 1030 this morning. Ospina, his wife, and Cesar Guzman, his lawyer, rode in these vehicles from the Plaza de Toros neighborhood, south of Cali, to the Regional Office of the Prosecutor General. [Begin Guzman recording] This voluntary act is a show of confidence and faith in Colombian justice and the policy of surrendering. It is a sign of efficient cooperation with justice. [Unidentified reporter] Why did he surrender? To what crimes will he confess? [Guzman] Mr. Ospina today will confess to violating Law 30, the crime of drug trafficking, and money laundering. He will not confess to any other crime. [end recording] [Vergara] These crimes could land him in jail for 30 years, but thanks to the benefits offered by the law, his sentence would be reduced to four years, not counting study and work while in prison, which would cut his sentence another two years. As the "National Newscast" learned, he will disclose the names of other members of the organization and reveal the routes used for drug trafficking and money laundering. Joyner Ospina Montoya will be interrogated in a few hours, and later he will be taken to Palmira Prison. He will be held in the same wing where drug trafficker Julio Fabio Urdinola is jailed. [Ruiz] According to the authorities, Joyner Ospina Montoya was also the man in charge of transporting the organization's drugs. Let us see who he is. [Vergara] Joyner Ospina Montoya, 28 years old, married, and father of two children was born in Dovia north of Valle. He is another member of the northern drug trafficking ring once headed by Juan Urdinola Grajales. He got involved in drug trafficking in 1988 in the United States. In 1990 he came to Colombia and became the right-hand man of Julio Fabio Urdinola, another member of this organization who surrendered to justice 15 days ago. Ospina Montoya was in charge of shipping and distributing cocaine to the United States. He was also in charge of laundering money from the United States to Colombia. To date, we have no information of any legal process Colombian justice may have against him. We have learned, however, that he is facing charges for drug trafficking in U.S. courts. U.S. authorities tapped the telephones Ospina Montoya used to make all his contacts. In addition, informers confirmed his participation in drug trafficking and money laundering.