SUMMARY

Los Rastrojos was a drug cartel formed in 2004 by Norte del Valle cartel capo Wilber Varela alias ’Jabon’ and one of his right-hand men ‘Diego Rastrojo’. The group operated mainly in Valle del Cauca and Cali and had about 1200-1500 fighters or hitmen. The group funded its activities primarily on drug trafficking and illegal gold mining. Members of Los Rastrojos have been killed or arrested in Venezuela by the Venezuelan armed forces. The group had fought battles with FARC and the ELN in the southern Cauca department and they have also had agreements with the same two guerrilla groups.