BOGOTA, Colombia (AFP) — Captured drug boss Dario Antonio Usuga has asked his cartel to stop killing Colombian police, his lawyer said on Thursday.
Usuga was captured by authorities in October and extradited to the United States in May to face drug trafficking charges.
Since then his gang has launched a deadly wave of attacks on police officers.
Paul Nalven told W Radio station that Usuga expects that after so many years leading the Gulf Clan, its members will still follow his directions, despite his detention in New York.
So far this year, armed groups have killed 36 police officers, with at least 18 of those carried out by the Clan.
Authorities believe the Clan is putting on a show of force ahead of expected negotiations with new President Gustavo Petro after he takes office on Sunday.
Former guerrilla Petro has vowed to negotiate with criminal gangs in a bid to end a decades-long conflict in exchange for more lenient sanctions.
The Gulf Clan, which is made up of former members of right-wing paramilitaries, is offering between $1,000 and $5,000 for each murder of a member of the security forces, according to police.