POPULAR "COCAINE COWBOY" PLEADED GUILTY AFTER 26 YEARS ON THE RUN

As part of the 'Los Muchachos outfit prosecutors say he trafficked $2bn (£1.41bn) worth of the drug, or an estimated 75 tonnes from Colombia into Miami in the 1980s

Falcon had been living near Orlando under a false name when he was arrested while out cycling a bike
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A so-called "Cocaine Cowboy" who went on the run for 26 years before he was eventually captured, has pleaded guilty for his part in an infamous cartel that operated in Florida.

Gustavo Falcon was part of the "Los Muchachos" outfit in the state that trafficked $2bn (£1.41bn) worth of the drug, or an estimated 75 tonnes from Colombia into Miami in the 1980s.

It opened up and ran that pipeline into the city for about a decade until the authorities smashed up its operation in 1991. Its ring leaders, including Gustavo’s brother Willy, were jailed for decades.

A so-called "Cocaine Cowboy" who went on the run for 26 years before he was eventually captured, has pleaded guilty for his part in an infamous cartel that operated in Florida.

Gustavo Falcon was part of the "Los Muchachos" outfit in the state that trafficked $2bn (£1.41bn) worth of the drug, or an estimated 75 tonnes from Colombia into Miami in the 1980s.

It opened up and ran that pipeline into the city for about a decade until the authorities smashed up its operation in 1991. Its ring leaders, including Gustavo’s brother Willy, were jailed for decades.

They were initially cleared of the claims in a 1996 trial – but they were re-tried in 2001 after prosecutors learned that the two traffickers had rigged the jury in the earlier case to free them.

Willy, 62, was later given 20 years in prison in the second hearing while Magluta was sentenced to 195 years.

Prosecutors said Gustavo had worked behind the scenes in his brother’s criminal enterprise, and was largely involved in totting up the balance sheet for their illicit multi-billion dollar trade.

Falcon plead guilty to one count of conspiring to possess cocaine with intent to distribute during his years in the Los Muchachos cartel and faces up to 20 years in prison.

He was remanded to custody for sentencing on 11 April.