29 December 2010 Last updated at 15:44 ET

Colombia confirms death of drug lord 'The Knife'

Pedro "The Knife" Guerrero was a top target for the security forces Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has confirmed the death of one of the country's most wanted men, Pedro Guerrero.

Guerrero, known as Cuchillo ("The Knife"), led a 1,200-strong army and largely controlled the drugs trade in eastern Colombia.

Forensic tests indicate he drowned after falling into a river during a firefight with the security forces.

Police had tracked him down to a ranch, where he was celebrating Christmas.

'Legend'

They had been hunting him for several years and had offered a $1.25m (£800,000) reward for his capture.

President Santos said fingerprint tests confirmed the body police found 72 hours after the firefight at a ranch in Meta province, in the east of the country, was that of Pedro Guerrero.

Police said they found two pistols on Guerrero's body and that he was still clutching his trademark knife, with which he reportedly killed many of his victims.

Forensic experts said his body had no bullet wounds and that he probably drowned in a 4m-deep (13ft) canyon during an exchange of fire between members of his gang and the security forces.

President Santos said Guerrero had become "a kind of legend, who's seen as untouchable, whom no-one could catch".

"Well, here we have again proven that no-one can escape the determination and ability of our armed forces, in this case the police," he added.

Firefight

Police said they had been planning the operation to capture The Knife for months and, with the help of informants, had finally tracked him down to a ranch near Mapiripan, in Meta.


Police Gen Oscar Naranjo showed reporters Guerrero's trademark knife Police special operations teams abseiled from helicopters in the early hours of Saturday, after receiving information that he and his top lieutenants would be gathered at the ranch celebrating Christmas.

Two officers died in the ensuing firefight.

One of Guerrero's bodyguards was also killed, while police arrested seven others in his group.

Among those detained was his number two, known as Madman Harold.

Guerrero was wanted on 15 charges, including drug trafficking, murder, torture, kidnapping and forced disappearances.

President Santos said Guerrero could be responsible for as many as 3,000 murders.

He led a right-wing paramilitary group until it was demobilised in 2006.

Police say he then founded his own criminal group, the Popular Revolutionary Anti-terrorist Army of Colombia, which controls much of the drugs trade on the country's eastern plains.

Colombian Police Chief Oscar Naranjo said that "without The Knife, Colombia would have a respite" from the killings and violence he had caused.

But local officials in the east of the country were not as confident.

Jose Arenas, the mayor of San Jose del Guaviare Pedro, an area where Guerrero and his men were active, said he welcomed the death of Guerrero, but remained sceptical it would make a difference.

"If you don't tackle the causes, the dependence on growing coca, and the whole cocaine chain from the start to finish, you will just see a new leader emerging," Mr Arenas told Colombian radio.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-12087873