Medellín Cartel Figure Fabio Ochoa Released After 25 Years in U.S. Prison

The 67-year-old drug lord, once a key ally of Pablo Escobar, is expected to be deported to Colombia following his release.

Fabio Ochoa Vásquez, a prominent member of the Medellín cartel, served 25 years of a 30-year sentence in the U.S. for drug trafficking charges.
Ochoa and his brothers were billionaires during the 1980s cocaine boom and played a major role in smuggling operations led by Pablo Escobar.
He was initially arrested in Colombia in 1990 under a no-extradition agreement but was later extradited to the U.S. in 2001 after resuming drug trafficking activities.
Authorities were unable to seize all of Ochoa's illicit wealth, and legal experts predict he will return to Colombia with significant financial resources.
Ochoa's release comes as Colombia remains the world’s largest cocaine producer, with drug trafficking still a major issue in the region.