The lawyer for a suspected Colombian drug lord says he will travel to the United States to try to expedite his client's potential extradition to the U.S. from Brazil.
The lawyer, Sergio Alambert, representing Juan Carlos Ramirez Abadia says he plans to meet with U.S. officials in an effort to accelerate the extradition process. He said Ramirez Abadia, who is wanted by the U.S. on drug charges, fears for his life if he is sent back to Colombia.
Brazilian police arrested Ramirez Abadia last week at a luxury home on the outskirts of Sao Paulo.
He is accused of shipping tons of cocaine to the U.S. and ordering the killings of police and informants in the U.S. and Colombia. Ramirez Abadia is also believed to be the leader of Norte del Valle, Colombia's largest drug cartel since the 1990s.
The United States is seeking Ramirez Abadia's extradition and had offered up to $5 million for information leading to his arrest.
Brazilian judicial officials are considering the extradition request. But Brazilian law prohibits the extradition of prisoners to countries where they could face life imprisonment or the death penalty.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
