Colombia nabs drug lord after killing his twin

By Hugh Bronstein

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian police captured drug lord Miguel Angel Mejia on Friday, days after killing his twin brother in a shootout as authorities crack down on cocaine smuggling rings run by former right-wing paramilitaries.

Mejia was found in a secret air-conditioned compartment in the cab of a tractor trailer with a pistol at his side, but he gave up without a fight.

He and his brother Victor Manuel were paramilitary militia leaders who helped negotiate a peace deal with the government but refused to turn themselves after the talks.

Instead, they went on to head Colombia's biggest emerging cocaine gang and were wanted in the United States for drug trafficking, with the U.S. government offering up to $5 million each for information leading to their capture.

"The twins controlled and coordinated half of the country's criminal groups. This strikes at the heart of drug trafficking in Colombia," said Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos.

Mejia will be extradited to the United States, Santos said.

Police found Mejia as he was being driven in the commercial truck through the central province of Tolima.

Officers said they noticed the driver bought four bottles of Gatorade and some snacks at a truck stop near the town of Honda. Minutes later at a police checkpoint, officers noticed the drinks and snacks were no longer in the driver's cabin.