U.S. seeks extradition of alleged South American kingpin

June 2, 2003, 3:29 PM EDT

NEW YORK (<a href=www.newsday.com>NewsDay.com-AP) _ Federal prosecutors are seeking the extradition of an alleged South American drug kingpin who they say ordered dozens of his minions to swallow heroin pellets to smuggle into the United States.

Ramrio Lopez-Imitola's cartel, based in Colombia and Venezuela, has smuggled roughly $200 million worth of heroin into the United States since 1997, the U.S. government said in extradition papers filed Monday.

Lopez-Imitola was arrested April 4 in Colombia and admitted at the time that he had been selling drugs for 30 years, U.S. prosecutors said.

A federal indictment accuses Lopez-Imitola of using terror and torture to preside over the drug cartel to make sure his drug couriers would not cooperate with investigators or steal drugs.

As often as 60 times per month, Lopez-Imitola directed lower members of the cartel to swallow heroin pellets or to carry the drug hidden in suitcases, prosecutors said.

One courier died in Miami after one of the 89 pellets he had swallowed burst in his stomach. The body was recovered by Miami Beach police after it was dumped in Biscayne Bay, prosecutors said.