Colombian has extradited five alleged drug traffickers to the United States to face criminal charges.
Officials said the suspects were arrested last year in Colombia and held until they could be transferred to the United States as part of the nations' joint effort to try wanted drug smugglers on U.S. soil, El Tiempo newspaper reported Thursday.
In the last few months Colombia has sent dozens of accused traffickers, many of them also leaders of left-wing rebel groups, to the United States.
Last month a U.S. court sentenced Colombian druglord Alberto Orlandez-Gamboa to 40 years in prison on charges he trafficked several tons of cocaine into the United States.
Colombia is the world's large producer of cocaine and a major supplier of heroin.
© Copyright 2005 by United Press International

