“I only asked what procedure they were going to follow. Then I fell asleep and when I woke up I found the cocaine,” the uniformed man explained.

When he was arrested by the traffic authorities, the investigation file points out, Castañeda assured that he was a patrolman and that he had authorization to circulate freely with the truck. To back up his claim, he told the officers who detained him that they could be contacted as Manuel Antonio Castañeda, new details have been revealed. On this occasion, we learn that a colonel asked to let a vehicle pass Caloto, in Cauca.

When he was arrested by the traffic authorities, the investigation file points out, Castañeda assured that he was a patrolman and that he had authorization to circulate freely with the truck. To back up his claims, he told arresting officers they could contact the Commander of Transit and Transport of Cauca, Carlos Hervin Montañezto confirm what he was saying.

“He said he was a patrolman and he would callColonel Montanezcommander of transit and transport of Cauca, because they were the only ones who could control him, and they were the ones with whom he felt safe because he was threatened with the dignitary pretending to be inside the car,” the uniformed men said of the moment.

“I receive the phone and immediately hear the voice of a man who says to me verbatim: ‘Speak to Colonel Montañez, the vehicle is being watched by units of the Comprehensive Police Transit and Transport System (Sitra del Cauca) , don’t demand it; let him followadded one of the officers.

Transit agents, unsure whether to let the car pass, ignored what the commander allegedly said, and they chose to check what was inside the vehicle.

Although the man in uniform claims to have received a call from the driver of the vehicle, he claims to have never made the request to let the case pass.  The commander has already given his version to the prosecution
Although the man in uniform claims to have received a call from the driver of the vehicle, he claims to have never made the request to let the case pass. The commander has already given his version to the prosecution

In addition to the supposed order given by Colonel Montañez, the determination that had been made by the the deputy Ángela Mayerly López, who, according to the police, through Radio Central, communicated that the car was authorized to pass and that in fact it was being watched.

“The central radio of the city of Popayán was informed of what was happening at all times, with the indication land, where in one of these communications a lady who said that she was subintendant of traffic appeared in the media, telling me to let the vehicle go. , since he was being watched. Without having made the check-in, the manager as a service operator gives me a recommendation telling me that I was autonomous to check the vehicle (…) I did not comply with the order given by Deputy Ángela Mayerly López as a transit and transportation radio operator,” the document points out.

Colonel Carlos Hervin Montañez, contacted by the newspaper The weatherHe assured that indeed, he had received a call of this nature, but that he had never given the order to let the car pass. “I only asked what procedure they were going to follow. Then I fell asleep and when I woke up I discovered cocaine,” he said during his interview with national media.

Montañez also said it was one of his superiors who asked him to be on the lookout for the truck because, supposedly, the popular music singer was being transported inside Luis Alfonso. The man in uniform did not give the name of the supposed superior who was behind the orders.

“I spoke with Manuel Castañeda, but not because of the drug problem. I had a communication with this gentleman following a request that had been made, by one of my superiors, because he would have brought a singer. But then it all happened… I have already submitted an interrogation and at the institutional level too, because I spoke with this gentleman around 2 am, because supposedly he came with the singer and the police didn’t let him pass,” he said.

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