Terrorism-Linked Colombian Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Import Nearly 62 Pounds of Cocaine into U.S.

LOS ANGELES - A Colombian drug trafficker with ties to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - People's Army (FARC-EP) foreign terrorist organization pleaded guilty today to federal narcotics and firearms charges, including importing 28 kilograms (61.7 pounds) of cocaine in the United States.

Jorge Eliécer Luque Monsalve, 54, a.k.a. "Jorge Col," of Santander, Colombia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine for the purpose of unlawful importation, one count of conspiracy to possess firearms, machineguns, and destructive devices in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, one count of distribution of cocaine for the purpose of unlawful importation, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

Luque has been in federal custody since February 5 after Colombia extradited him to the United States.

According to his plea agreement, from March 2023 to March 2024, Luque conspired with drug traffickers and aided and, during the year of 2023, abetting the distribution of a total of approximately 28 kilograms (61.7 pounds) into the United States.

Luque admitted to participating in a May 2023 meeting in Colombia with people he believed were buyers. During that meeting, he agreed to provide them with approximately 7 kilograms (15.4 pounds) of cocaine, knowing that it would be imported into and distributed within the United States.

Luque also invested his own money into 0.5 kilogram (1.1 pounds) of the cocaine with the expectation that he would receive a share of the profits from its importation and distribution into the U.S. Three days after that meeting, Luque distributed approximately 7 kilograms of cocaine to the buyers in exchange of Colombian pesos worth approximately $10,715. In July 2023, Luque met the buyers at a mall in Colombia and accepted Colombian pesos worth approximately $4,500 as payment for his investment.

In November 2023, Luque and a co-conspirator held a meeting on behalf of a leader and member of FARC-EP. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss trading cocaine for firearms.

In December 2023, Luque ordered AK-47 rifles and ammunition, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and ammunition, machineguns, and additional ammunition from a buyer in exchange for 21 kilograms (46.3 pounds) of cocaine, which was distributed to a buyer.

Luque in January 2024 in Colombia accepted Colombian pesos worth approximately $8,000 from buyers as payment for an investment he made in the distributed cocaine.

FARC-EP is a dissident faction of the FARC terrorist group and emerged after its rejection of a 2016 peace agreement between FARC and the Colombian government. FARC-EP is Colombia's most powerful and violent dissident group and has continued to carry out criminal acts, including assassinations, extortion, hostage-takings, and armed assaults. The group focuses most of its attacks on Colombian government and military targets but has also attacked critical infrastructure, Colombian civilians, and U.S. military personnel in the country. FARC-EP equips its members with firearms, machine guns, mines, and bombs.

The group disseminates propaganda videos to convince the Colombian public and government that FARC-EP controls Colombia, to threaten rivals, and to recruit young Colombians to join it. Idrobo has appeared in and is the primary speaker in some of these videos. FARC-EP controls an area of Colombia responsible for producing approximately 70% of the cocaine manufactured in that nation.

The United States has designated FARC-EP a foreign terrorist organization. FARC-EP partners with other terrorist organizations, including the Sinaloa Cartel, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG), and Nueva Familia Michoacana.

United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi scheduled a February 1, 2027, sentencing hearing at which time Luque will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

FARC-EP commander Iván Jacobo Idrobo Arredondo, 41, a.k.a. "Marlon Vásquez," and his associate, Juan Diego Palta Montero, 25, a.k.a. "Ñeque," still face criminal charges in this case.

Rubén Darío García Londoño, 43, a.k.a. "Bencho," is serving a five-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty in November 2025 to federal criminal charges in this case.

The Drug Enforcement Administration's Los Angeles Field Division and Bogotá Country Office are investigating this matter with substantial assistance from the Colombian National Police, the Czech Republic Police's National Counterterrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime Agency (NCTEKK) and Special Activities Unit (UZC SKPV PCR). The Justice Department's Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division's Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section's Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle W. Kahan of the General Crimes Section and Kelly Larocque of the Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.