In a surprising turn of events, former Medellin Cartel leader Carlos Lehder was released by Colombian authorities following a judge’s ruling that his drug trafficking sentence had expired. The 75-year-old was apprehended upon his arrival at Bogota’s airport on Friday, but was later set free on Monday.
Lehder, the first Colombian drug trafficker extradited to the United States, had spent over 30 years behind bars in the U.S. before being released in 2020 after serving two-thirds of his sentence. He was subsequently deported to Germany, where he holds citizenship.
Despite being convicted of drug trafficking in Colombia in 1995 while still serving his U.S. sentence, Lehder’s Colombian imprisonment officially came to an end in 2019 based on local laws. Known for his ties to the notorious Pablo Escobar and his role in establishing cocaine markets, Lehder rose to infamy in the 1970s and operated a luxury hotel in Colombia, as well as a key cocaine hub in the Bahamas.
Following his release, Lehder’s lawyer emphasized his client’s health issues, including cancer and high blood pressure, as well as the significant time he had spent incarcerated. Lehder’s connections to the Medellin Cartel and his cooperation with U.S. authorities, which led to the prosecution of Manuel Noriega, have been key aspects of his turbulent criminal history.
