Spanish national arrested in Colombia, accused of financing hitmen for narco-gang

A Spanish national, allegedly a key financial operator for a drug cartel's hitman network in Cali, Colombia, has been arrested. Emilio Jiménez Galves, 42, from Málaga, Spain, was apprehended in the El Caney neighborhood of Cali. He faces extradition to Spain for large-scale fraud in Europe.

Colombian authorities report that Galves, known as 'el Español,' had been in Colombia for approximately one year. They accuse him of becoming the financial chief for a "collection office" – a hitman group used to collect drug debts – operating under the command of a figure known as 'Dímax.'

Galves' alleged role involved laundering money and concealing illicit proceeds through seemingly legal channels, such as the purchase and sale of luxury vehicles. His alleged boss, Juan Carlos Vacca Castillo, or 'Dímax,' leads the "Los R-15" hit squad and has reportedly allied with other criminal figures. 'Dímax' himself previously served nine years in prison before being transferred to an indigenous reservation in Florida, Valle del Cauca, under the guise of being a member of the Nasa people.

The arrest highlights the persistent challenges Colombian authorities face in dismantling sophisticated criminal organizations that engage in financial crimes and drug trafficking, even as they operate under the guise of legitimate businesses.