Colombia Captures Three International Fugitives Wanted in US, Panama and Netherlands

Interpol cooperation leads to three extradition-related arrests in one week

Three foreign nationals wanted by authorities in the United States, Panama and the Netherlands were captured in and around Medellín within a single week in July, in operations involving Interpol Colombia and international law-enforcement agencies.

The arrests involved a Mexican citizen wanted in the United States for alleged fraud and money laundering, a Panamanian wanted by his country’s authorities over alleged drug trafficking and conspiracy offenses, and a citizen of Curaçao sought by the Netherlands in connection with alleged drug trafficking.

“International cooperation continues to demonstrate that borders are not an advantage for those seeking to evade justice.” – Manuel Villa Mejía, Secretary of Security and Coexistence of Medellín.

The Medellín government said the three cases demonstrate the role of real-time information sharing between Colombian authorities and international partners in locating pe0ople sought through Interpol Red Notices. The three individuals were detained with a view to extradition and placed at the disposal of Colombia’s Fiscalía General de la Nación while the relevant legal and diplomatic procedures proceed.

Mexican national sought by the United States

The most recent of the three cases involved Mexican citizen Bryan Gardea, who was detained at José María Córdova International Airport in Rionegro after arriving on a flight from Miami on July 15.

Gardea was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice requested by US authorities. Colombian and US authorities allege that he led a scheme that fraudulently obtained more than $1.04 million from US economic-assistance programs created during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to reporting on the case, the alleged scheme involved the creation of fictitious companies, falsified documentation and fraudulent financial statements. The funds were allegedly diverted to personal accounts and used for private expenditures and real-estate purchases. US authorities are seeking his extradition on allegations including wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering.

Gardea was placed under the authority of Colombia’s Fiscalía following his arrest, with extradition proceedings expected to continue through the agency’s international-affairs authorities. Colombian reporting subsequently confirmed the legality of his detention.

Panamanian national linked to alleged container trafficking network

The second case involved Ismael Abdiel González Pomares, a Panamanian citizen detained in Medellín’s Laureles neighborhood on July 21.

González Pomares was wanted by Panamanian authorities under an Interpol Red Notice for alleged offenses including drug trafficking, conspiracy and crimes against collective security. Colombian and Panamanian investigators reportedly identify him as a suspected senior figure in a transnational organization involved in moving narcotics through commercial cargo.

Authorities allege that the organization used contaminated commercial containers at the Port of Balboa in Panama to move drugs toward international markets. Reporting also says the investigation identified a sophisticated logistical structure and alleged infiltration of strategic port facilities. The operation involved cooperation between Colombian and Panamanian authorities, with support from the US Homeland Security Investigations agency.

González Pomares was placed at the disposal of Colombian authorities as the process for his eventual transfer to Panama proceeds.

Curaçao citizen wanted by the Netherlands

The third arrest involved José Manuel Rodríguez Dacova, a citizen of Curaçao wanted by authorities in the Netherlands on an alleged drug-trafficking offense.

According to Medellín authorities, Rodríguez Dacova was detained while travelling by road between Barranquilla and Medellín. His arrest was likewise carried out in response to an Interpol Red Notice and with extradition proceedings in mind.

Unlike the Gardea and González Pomares cases, publicly available reporting on Rodríguez Dacova provides fewer details about the underlying Dutch investigation. The Colombian authorities’ announcement identifies drug trafficking as the basis for the Netherlands’ extradition request.

29 Red Notice arrests recorded in 2026

The three arrests brought the number of people detained in Medellín during 2026 through Interpol Red Notices to 29, according to the city’s security authorities.

The municipality said these individuals were subsequently captured for extradition after the requesting countries formalized their respective requests. The detainees were placed at the disposal of the Fiscalía while judicial and diplomatic procedures continue.

The cases showed the distinction between an Interpol Red Notice and a conviction. A Red Notice is an international request to locate and provisionally detain a person pending extradition or a similar judicial process; it is not itself an international arrest warrant or a finding of guilt.

For Medellín, the arrests also form part of a broader effort to strengthen cooperation with foreign law-enforcement agencies as the city seeks to address criminal networks operating across national borders.

As of August 2026, no publicly confirmed development was identified that materially changes the status of the three July cases. The individuals remain subject to the respective extradition processes, with the Fiscalía responsible for Colombia’s proceedings and the requesting countries’ authorities responsible for pursuing the underlying cases.

Headline photo: A picture of one of the fugitives beside the Colombian authorities. (Photo provided by Medellín’s mayor’s office)