Chronic Drug Dealer Dairo Antonio Is Being Held By Police In Colombia

Dairo Antonio in handcuffs after his arrest /FILE

Colombian drug trafficker Dairo Antonio Usuga aka Otoniel has been arrested by police.

In a televised address to the nation on Saturday night, Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez confirmed Otoniel's arrest, comparing the move to that of 1993, in which cocaine leader Pablo Escobar died.

"Otoniel has been a feared trafficker in the world, he has killed police, community leaders and has also been registering children in his illegal trade," said President Marquez.

Dairo Antonio in handcuffs after his arrest

Otoniel, 50, was arrested on Saturday by security officers conducting a patrol operation in Colombia's Antioquia region, with one policeman killed in a shootout.

The trafficker was leading a group of ‘Clan del Golfo’ drug cartel, believed by US police to be well-armed and violent.

This criminal group includes members who are members of illegal groups.

The New York City Department in 2009 offered $ 5 million to anyone who would provide information that would have contributed to Otoniel's arrest, while the Colombian government was also offering another $ 800,000 to anyone with information about the trafficker.