Two Cali police officers arrested for extorting citizen with drug trafficking information
A subintendent and a patrol officer were charged with extortion after demanding money from a man in exchange for confidential data about an extradition process in Cali.
Cali police officers charged with demanding money in exchange for drug trafficking information
Subintendent Carlos Hernando Figueroa and patrol officer Teodoro Ruiz Rojas were arrested at El Caney police station in Cali following an investigation by the Specialised Directorate against Drug Trafficking of the Attorney General's Office. According to infobae.com, both uniformed officers face charges of extortion after demanding money from a citizen in exchange for revealing confidential information about a drug trafficking case and an extradition procedure that, they allegedly indicated, was being pursued against him.
The charges cover events that occurred between 30 August and 8 September 2026 in the city of Cali, Valle del Cauca department.
Deceptive access to a residential complex
According to the Attorney General's Office, the two police officers entered a residential complex in southern Cali under the pretext of attending a case of child abuse. The operation allegedly had another purpose: to identify the person they were looking for and obtain their personal information without the affected individual being aware.
Nine days after this first contact, Figueroa and Ruiz Rojas returned to the location. During that second visit, the uniformed officers allegedly approached the man directly to persuade him to hand over money in exchange for the alleged details they claimed to have about the drug trafficking processes and the capture procedure for extradition purposes.
Following a series of investigative actions that made it possible to establish the alleged criminal conduct, both were detained. A judge overseeing guarantees determined that the two uniformed officers would remain formally linked to the case.
Balanta Paz case: three police officers arrested over death in Bogotá
The infobae.com article also reports developments in investigations into the death of Donovan Balanta Paz, a 32-year-old man who died on 20 September 2026 in the Caracolí neighbourhood, south of Bogotá. Three police officers, including a major, were arrested for their alleged involvement in the operation that resulted in his death.
Videos recorded by residents of the area show several uniformed officers beating Balanta and using a taser device before transferring him to a patrol car. The Police reported that the young man lost consciousness during the intervention and was transferred to Luis Carlos Galán Sarmiento Hospital in Soacha, where he died at 7:30 in the evening.
The family rejects the official version that Balanta was involved in a brawl. His mother, Marlenys Paz, stated that he was returning from picking up his wife when he saw officers intervening with a friend. According to her account, the young man threw a bottle when he felt surrounded, ran, and was then subdued by the uniformed officers. "They murdered him, they destroyed me and my family," she said.
Separation of duties and institutional support
Before the arrests, the Police had suspended seven officers from their duties through a disciplinary process under Law 1952 of 2019. The mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galán, called for clarification of what happened and expressed his support for the investigations.
The Ombudsman's Office also took on the responsibility of accompanying family members. Ombudsman Iris Marín met with them on 15 October to receive their requests for justice and define actions for protection and reparation. The office requested that the Attorney General's Office determine whether racial discrimination or ethnic profiling occurred during the operation, and whether police conduct respected human rights standards, dignified treatment, and the appropriate use of force.
Source: Google News CO — Crime