Pirry, Colombian criminal leader, arrested in Spain

El Mesa alias Pirry Interpol red notice Rionegro massacre international drug trafficking

Jhonatan Alexander Castrillón Arango, known as alias ‘Pirry’, was arrested in Spain following a coordinated operation between Spanish and Colombian authorities. Castrillón Arango is identified as a high-ranking leader of the Colombian criminal organization ‘El Mesa’, which has significant influence in the Antioquia department.

The suspect was wanted internationally via an Interpol red notice. He is accused of being the mastermind behind a June 2024 massacre in Rionegro, Antioquia, where seven workers were killed. Additionally, authorities link him to the international trafficking of narcotics to Europe, specifically targeting Spain, France, and Italy.

During the arrest in the Salou/Tarragona region, the suspect reportedly attempted to flee in a vehicle and used a false Venezuelan identity to evade detection. The Antioquia government had previously offered a reward of up to 250 million Colombian pesos for information leading to his capture.

Entities

Andrés Julián Rendón · Antioquia · Colombia · El Mesa · Interpol · Jhonatan Alexander Castrillón Arango · Rionegro · Spain · Tarragona

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 5 SOURCES] An Interpol red notice was issued for the suspect. diarioriente.com · www.diaridetarragona.com · www.tarragonaradio.cat · www.diarimes.com · www.minuto30.com
[● 6 SOURCES] Jhonatan Alexander Castrillón Arango, known as alias ‘Pirry’, was arrested in Spain. diarioriente.com · www.diaridetarragona.com · www.tarragonaradio.cat · www.diarimes.com · elmercurio.com.ec · +1 more
[● 2 SOURCES] The suspect allegedly used a false Venezuelan identity to evade detection. www.tarragonaradio.cat · elmercurio.com.ec
[● 4 SOURCES] The Antioquia government offered a reward of up to 250 million Colombian pesos for information on the suspect. diarioriente.com · www.diaridetarragona.com · www.tarragonaradio.cat · www.minuto30.com
[● 6 SOURCES] Castrillón Arango is identified as a leader of the Colombian criminal group ‘El Mesa’. diarioriente.com · www.diaridetarragona.com · www.tarragonaradio.cat · www.diarimes.com · elmercurio.com.ec · +1 more
[● 4 SOURCES] The suspect is accused of being the mastermind behind a massacre of seven people in Rionegro, Antioquia, in June 2024. diarioriente.com · www.diaridetarragona.com · www.diarimes.com · www.minuto30.com
[● 5 SOURCES] The arrest occurred in the Salou/Tarragona region of Spain. www.diaridetarragona.com · www.tarragonaradio.cat · www.diarimes.com · elmercurio.com.ec · www.segre.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The suspect is accused of coordinating international drug trafficking to Spain, France, and Italy. www.diaridetarragona.com · www.diarimes.com · elmercurio.com.ec