United States Drug Enforcement Administration

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon traveled to Colombia, the week of March 25, 2019.

During the trip, Acting Administrator Dhillon met with Kevin Whitaker, the United States Ambassador to Colombia, and conducted numerous bilateral meetings with the Colombian Attorney General, Dr. Nestor Humberto Martinez Neira; the Colombian National Police Director General, Oscar Atehortua Duque and his executive staff; and Colombian Navy Vice Admiral Evelio Ramirez and his command staff.  During these meetings, the Acting Administrator reaffirmed DEA’s long-standing law enforcement relationship with Colombia, an important partner and ally in the Western Hemisphere.

Acting Administrator Dhillon became the first DEA Administrator to visit a Colombian police and military forward operating base located near the Gulf of Uraba, on the northern coast of Colombia.  Since 2015, Colombian law enforcement forces have operated from this base, conducting the single largest operation in the history of the Colombian National Police with the goal of dismantling Clan del Golfo, a Colombian drug cartel.  The Acting Administrator witnessed first-hand Colombia’s resolve to rid their country of criminals like Clan del Golfo, ELN, and FARC dissidents, which will help to ensure both regional and global security.

“In each meeting and discussion during this trip, Colombian officials and I have reaffirmed our shared commitment to identifying, dismantling and eliminating transnational crime organizations,” said Dhillon. “We will continue working together towards a single objective:  bringing drug traffickers and illicit drug financiers to justice.”