Alberto Orlandez Gamboa, also known as "''El Caracol''" ("The Snail"), is a Colombian drug lord and the former leader of the North Coast Cartel. Orlandez Gamboa led the

cartel A cartel is a group of independent market participants who collude with each other in order to improve their profits and dominate the market. Cartels are usually associations in the same sphere of business, and thus an alliance of rivals. Mos ...

from the coastal city of Barranquilla. He was known for his smuggling methods, hiding

cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Ameri ...

in mustard crates, sawdust, and cough medicine to hide the odor. He also smuggled cocaine in engine parts, cement and ceramic tiles. Orlandez Gamboa was arrested on June 6, 1998, extradited to the United States in 2000 and pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Orlandez Gamboa, Alberto Living people Colombian drug traffickers People convicted of money laundering Colombian crime bosses People extradited from Colombia to the United States Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government Colombian people imprisoned abroad 1956 births People convicted of kidnapping Colombian kidnappers People convicted of bribery