RIO DE JANEIRO (JTA) — An Israeli citizen accused of belonging to an international crime organization was captured and extradited from Colombia.

Binyamin Cohen, 35, was arrested in Medellin, Colombia’s second largest city. He is accused of crimes including arms trafficking, car robbery, home burglary, human trafficking, and smuggling cocaine from the South American country to the Jewish state, reported local news website El Caracol. He had been sentenced in 2013 to 392 days in prison for attempted homicide.

He was extradited on Sunday.

In November, another Israel was expelled from Colombia accused of running illegal sex tourism. Assi Ben-Mosh, 43, was accused of leading a network that offered trips with drugs and underage prostitutes. He is banned from returning to Colombia for 10 years. His arrest and expulsion was “a relief” because “authorities were for many years complacent,” an unnamed witnesses told local press.

In October, a photo published by Colombian pop star Maluma posing beside an Israeli border police officer led to a passionate debate among his nearly 30 million followers on social media. The photo has garnered nearly 1.3 million likes and nearly 30,000 comments mostly debating Israel and its policies toward the Palestinians.

Days before, the Palestinian mission to Colombia tweeted a quote from the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat calling for the destruction of the State of Israel. The tweet was quickly removed and no explanation or apology was offered.

Colombia is home to some 3,500 Jews in a population of about 49 million.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)