Humberto Cardona

Humberto Cardona, known as "El Fruco," was one of Colombia's better-known cocaine traffickers whose extradition to the United States in late 1985 was international news, hailed as a sign of increasing cooperation between the Colombian and U.S. governments.¹

Extradition

When the Colombian government agreed to extradite Cardona and five other traffickers, UPI reported it as evidence of growing anti-drug cooperation. Notably, one trafficker the Colombians refused to extradite was Juan Matta Ballesteros, the Honduran billionaire whose airline SETCO was flying supplies for the Contras. Instead of turning Matta over to U.S. courts, the Colombians deported him to Honduras, which did not extradite its citizens.¹

Continued Trafficking

Cardona's extradition to the United States appears to have been painless. A mere three years later, he was jetting around the world and supplying the South Central L.A. crack market through Norwin Meneses's associates Roger Sandino and Jose Gonzalez. Danilo Blandón, whose Alpha II Rent-a-Car business was popular with Colombian traffickers in Miami, considered Cardona a close friend. When Blandón's rental car business began failing in 1988-89, Cardona suggested he return to cocaine trafficking, telling Blandón he had just sold Blandón's friends in L.A. 2,000 kilos, literally a ton. Blandón agreed to return to the business.¹

By 1990, Cardona was operating from France and looking to move 2,000 kilos stored in Guadalajara, Mexico. Blandón discussed Cardona's cocaine deals on tape with DEA informant John Arman in July 1990, describing his supplier's international operations.¹