Federal prosecutors in California have unsealed a sweeping indictment charging two members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) with leading a cocaine production and trafficking ring that exchanged drugs for military-grade weapons in support of terrorist activity.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced the charges Monday against Iván Jacobo Idrobo Arredondo, 39 (aka “Marlon Vásquez”), and Juan Diego Palta Montero, 26 (aka “Ñeque”). Both are Colombian nationals alleged to be involved in arming the FARC-EP dissident group through cocaine trafficking operations.
The six-count federal indictment includes charges of:
Attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization
Conspiracy to engage in narco-terrorism
Conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine for unlawful importation
Conspiracy to possess firearms and destructive devices during a drug offense
Distribution of cocaine for unlawful importation
(For Idrobo alone) Possession of firearms and destructive devices during a drug offense
Authorities allege that from March 2023 to March 2024, Idrobo and Palta coordinated the manufacturing and distribution of cocaine from Colombian labs to fund and equip FARC-EP. In return, they sought to acquire AK-47 ammunition, rocket-propelled grenades, and machine guns.
One cocaine-for-cash deal in March 2023 reportedly involved over 15 pounds of cocaine intended for the U.S., exchanged for over $10,700 in Colombian pesos. In December 2023, a co-conspirator traveled to the Czech Republic to inspect weapons intended for trade in exchange for cocaine bound for the U.S.
The DOJ revealed chilling plans discussed by the group, including using rocket-propelled grenades to attack Colombian government targets — such as the presidential palace, Supreme Court, and police — and even aiming to strike where President Gustavo Petro was located.
In one incident later that month, 46.3 pounds (21 kilograms) of cocaine were distributed in packaging featuring the iconic Hollywood sign, suggesting intended trafficking to Southern California.
A related indictment also unsealed charges four more Colombian nationals. Two—Jorge Eliecer Luque Monsalve (aka “Jorge Col”) and Rubén Darío García Londoño (aka “Bencho”)—have been arrested. García has already appeared in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles and pleaded not guilty. His trial is scheduled for July 1.
If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 50 years and a maximum of life imprisonment.
The FARC-EP, a violent offshoot of the larger FARC group that rejected a 2016 peace deal, remains active in terrorism, drug trafficking, and armed conflict. It was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. in December 2021 and maintains ties with Mexican cartels, including the Sinaloa Cartel, CJNG, and Nueva Familia Michoacana.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, the Department of Justice’s campaign to combat international drug cartels and violent crime through aggressive prosecution.
