Brit ‘gangsters’ working for ‘Irish Mafia’ arrested by heavily-armed Colombian cops

TWO alleged British gangsters working for the Irish Mafia have been arrested as one was cuffed still snuggling his pet pooch.

Heavily-armed Colombian cops were captured climbing up ladders to access the Medellin-based property and nab the two suspects.

Storming the property – with their guns raised – they were shocked to see the men still in pyjamas with one cuddling his Pomeranian dog.

According to William Rincon, head of Colombia‘s National Police, the two Brits were acting as agents for the Irish Mafia.

He claims they were organising drug shipments to the UK and working with Colombia’s largest drug trafficking group, the Clan del Golfo – or Golf Clan.

The largest-ever haul of cocaine seized in Ireland is believed to have been supplied by the murderous group.

He said: “In Medellin Colombian police in coordination with Interpol have managed to detain two British citizens for extradition, allegedly members of a transnational drug trafficking network, wanted by the British authorities for the crimes of drug trafficking, arms trafficking, money laundering and fronting companies.

“According to investigations, those detained are believed to be agents for the Irish mafia, responsible for coordinating drug trafficking to the United Kingdom in alliance with the Gulf Clan.

“We continue to strengthen international cooperation to combat criminal structures that threaten global security.”

Colombia’s president Gustavo Petro weighed in on the arrests with a statement online that said: “Two members of the Irish mafia captured in Medellin by the National Police.

“This demonstrates that in trafficking to Europe, the major buyers of cocaine are not Colombian mafias, but rather multinational corporations working together.”

Cops didn’t confirm if the Irish mafia gang they were referring to was the Kinahan Organised Crime Group, whose leader Daniel Kinahan is holed up in Dubai.

The narco-group’s ex-leader Dairo Antonio Úsuga, better known as Otoniel, was sentenced to 45 years in prison in the US in 2023.

He was reportedly found hiding half-naked in foliage by soldiers.

As well as being accused of sending dozens of shipments of cocaine to the United States, he was also charged with murdering police officers, sexually abusing children, and recruiting minors to his bloodthirsty cartel.

More than 500 Colombian special forces and soldiers entered the jungle, surrounding the drug kingpin’s lair and bypassing eight different rings of security before capturing the infamous criminal.

Colombia’s president hailed it as the biggest blow against the drugs trade in 20 years – although the country still remains the world’s biggest producer of cocaine.

And less than a year later the clan fought back – enforcing a four day ‘armed strike’ across the country, imposing strict lockdowns and warning residents to stay inside or risk being shot or having their vehicles burnt.

Families and hospitals ran out of basic supplies, and during the course of the strike the Gulf Clan committed at least 309 acts of violence, 24 people were killed and a further 15 attempted murders were recorded.

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The paramilitary group Clan del Golfo is currently the country’s largest drug cartel.

Bloodythirsty leader Daniel Rendon Herrera heads up the powerful criminal organisation, which recruits its members mainly from former right-wing paramilitaries and is said to have an army of around 6,000 spread across 12 of Colombia’s 32 regions.

In addition to drug trafficking, the Gulf clan is also involved in illegal mining and racketeering.

The feared cartel is believed to have close ties to the mafia in a ‘supergang’ drugs partnership, which was allegedly behind a record 4.3 tonne haul of cocaine worth more than £200million seized in Italy in 2022.

The cocaine was reportedly smuggled into Europe by the Clan del Golfo cartel, who are believed to be the biggest smugglers of the drug in the world.

Police also confiscated around £1.58million in cash.