Major Colombian trafficker killed

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Colombian police killed a top drug lord on Tuesday for whose capture the U.S. government offered a $5 million reward, Colombia's defense minister said.

Miguel Angel Mejia, known as "the twin", was killed in an operation in northern Colombia, Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos said at a news conference.

"He was perhaps the most wanted of all the criminals" in Colombia, Santos said.

Two members of Mejia's security unit were killed and three of his men were arrested, Santos said.

Mejia was killed wearing a U.S. military uniform, said Santos, without elaborating. Authorities were led to Mejia by an informant.

Mejia and his brother Victor allegedly started off trafficking cocaine before joining with the far-right paramilitaries. When the paramilitary warlords were required to hand themselves over to the government, the two went on the run.

The U.S. State Department has a standing offer of $5 million for the arrest of the brothers. A court in the U.S. issued extradition warrants against for the two in 2004, saying at the time they had shipped nearly 70 tons of cocaine in just two years.

President Alvaro Uribe has demanded that the police tackle the Mejias' organization, which is thought to contain dozens of smugglers and hired killers. E-mail to a friend

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