Diego Leon Osorio, a former Columbian player, has been arrested for the third time in 21 years for drug trafficking.
Osorio previously played for Colombia’s national team in the 1990s. The Police confirmed his arrest on Friday, 5th of May 2023.
Osorio, who played as a left-back, was apprehended as he attempted to board a flight to Madrid, Spain, on April 8, from an airport near Medellin “with 1,849 grams of cocaine hydrochloride,” police confirmed in a statement.
The police, however, did not announce the arrest until Friday after a video of Diego Leon Osorio in cuffs together with an officer made it to the media.
This is not the first time the 52-year-old former footballer was arrested. He was arrested in 2002 while conveying cocaine in Miami but was released on bail.
Diego Leon Osorio – who won league titles with Colombian side Atletico Nacional – was arrested again in 2016 in Medellin and was sentenced to a house arrest.
Osorio previously played for Colombia’s national team in the 1990s together with the renowned Carlos “El Pibe” Valderrama and also goalkeeper Rene Higuita.
He also enjoyed success with Atletico Nacional where he won two Colombian leagues and the Merconorte Cup in 1998.
Columbia as we know is one huge hub of drug trafficking and footballers have been engaging in such acts for over 4 decades.
Colombian club America de Cali’s all-time leading scorer Anthony de Avila was also arrested in September 2021 for allegedly having links with the Mafia in Naples, Italy.
Jhon Viafara, another Colombian international, was also extradited to the United States for collaborating in a drug shipment to Colombia.
Diego Leon Osorio
Diego Osorio is a former Colombian professional footballer who was born on 21 July, 1970.
Osorio started his professional career in Independiente Medellín, before signing for Atlético Nacional where he spent most of his playing career.
At international level, Osorio made 17 appearances for the senior Colombia national football team from 1991 to 1995.
He also featured at the 1992 Summer Olympics and as well did play for Colombia at the 1989 FIFA U-16 World Championship.
Drug Related Cases
Osorio was first arrested for cocaine possession and trafficking in Miami, Florida in August 2002.
And again in October 2016, he was arrested for cocaine possession and trafficking in Bogota, Colombia.
We are in 2023 and the same man has been arrested again, this leads us to ask what is really his problem with trafficking drugs?
