Colombian fugitive “lived like a king” in Dominican Republic resort

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.- Julián Alberto Jiménez Monsalve “Machete,” the powerful and fugitive Colombian drug trafficker who was captured in the country Friday, resided “like a king” in a posh villa in Punta Cana (east), according to statements from Colombian authorities issued Monday.

Medellín mayor Federico Gutiérrez said Machete went by the name of David José Mateo in the Dominican Republic where he pose as a prosperous Venezuelan rancher and that he “enjoyed high-end vehicles,” outlet Caracol Noticiero reports.

The report shows several of the vehicles allegedly used by the accused, as well as his luxury villa, from which he is said to “issue orders” as head of the drug trafficking business he had inherited as kingpin after the 2012 capture of Carlos Pesebre, head of the GDO Robledo organization, which Machete had joined 15 years ago.

Jiménez is accused of over 40 crimes, according to Noticias Caracol.  “In Medellín he had three arrest warrants pending.”