BOGOTA (AFP) - Colombia's Supreme Court has approved the extradition of the former head of the notorious Cali drug cartel, Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela, to the United States where he is sought on drug trafficking and money laundering charges.
However, the extradition of Orejuela, 64, still needs to be approved by President Alvaro Uribe.
The former drug kingpin once led the feared Cali drug cartel, which was believed to be reponsible for up to 80 percent of the world's cocaine trade.
Colombia's Supreme Court cleared the way for Orejuela's extradition on Wednesday following a request from the US authorities.
The court also gave the green light for Orejuela's brother, Miguel, to also be extradited to the United States, according to a statement.
The court approved the extraditions citing alleged drug trafficking activities that occurred between 1997 and 2003.
The United States had sought the two brothers on charges they smuggled huge quantities of cocaine into the country, laundered hundreds of millions of dollars of ill-gotten gains and obstructed justice.
The brothers' reputations were legendary in the criminal underworld, where it was also rumored they had financed Colombian presidential campaigns.
Some 200 Colombians have been extradited during Uribe's administration, mainly to the United States on drug trafficking charges.
11/04/2004 - 07:23 GMT - AFP