Cocaine overlords convicted in US

In what the US calls “the final, fatal blow” to the world’s biggest cocaine supplier, two Colombian brothers who helped found the infamous Cali cartel have pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, agreed to forfeit billions in assets, and received what could amount to a life sentence.

Gilberto and Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela, ages 67 and 63, were each sentenced yesterday to 30 years in prison. They were the highest-ranking of more than 300 drug traffickers extradited for trial since the US and Colombia signed a new treaty in 1997.