The Colombian government says police killed one of the country's most wanted drug lords in a shootout Tuesday.
Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos announced Tuesday that Victor Manuel Mejia was killed at a farmhouse in the northern state of Antioquia, along with two of his men.
Victor Manuel Meija ran one of Colombia's biggest drug trafficking rings along with his brother, Miguel Angel Meija. "The Twins," as they were dubbed, ran illegal drugs to the United States via Mexico. The U.S. had offered a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of each man.
Authorities initially believed Miguel Angel Meija was killed in Tuesday's raid. Colombia's Carocoal Radio says Victor Manuel Meija was carrying identity documents belonging to his brother.
Three of Mejia's men were arrested in the raid.
The brothers were members of right-wing paramilitary groups which demobilized several years ago as part of peace deal with the government. But the men went on the run instead of turning themselves in.
Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.
