Colombia arrests top Peruvian crime lord

Colombian officials said they arrested a top Peruvian crime lord dangerous enough to be compared to Mexico's Joaquin "Chapo" Guzman, France 24 reported.

Gerson Galvez, also known as Caracol (Snail), was arrested in a restaurant in the western city of Medellin, Colombia's defense ministry said in a statement.

Galvez "is described by Peruvian police and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime as Latin America's new 'Chapo Guzman'," the statement read.

The jailed Mexican drug lord, who formerly headed the powerful Sinaloa cartel, was captured in January after months on the run.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos congratulated his National Police on Twitter, describing Galvez as "one of the most feared crime capos in the region."

According to a wanted notice from Peruvian police, Galvez is "violent and aggressive" and headed a network "dedicated to extortion, aggravated robbery, illegal drug trafficking" and other assorted crimes.

Peru had placed a $150,000 bounty for information leading to his arrest.

Colombian National Police chief Jorge Nieto said that Galvez would be handed over to Peruvian authorities on Sunday.

Source: MENA