[7] Montoya was sought in connection with the manufacture and distribution of multiple tons of cocaine, knowing or intending that it would be imported into the United States.

The cartel reportedly relies heavily on illegal armed groups for protection, taking help from right-wing paramilitaries as well as leftist rebels.

Montoya was thought to be under the protection of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, a paramilitary group run by Carlos and Vincente Castaño.

The newspaper also revealed the possible involvement of an Admiral of the Colombian Navy named Gabriel Arango who used his influence to support drug cartels.

Arango marked documents related to this as classified and with a "horseshoe logo"; authorities later found that these were the flight routes of the Norte del Valle Cartel along both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts through Ecuador, Panama, Colombia and Venezuela.

[8] Montoya was captured on September 10, 2007, by Colombian authorities in a rural area of the municipality of Zarzal in Valle del Cauca Department after two hours of fighting with security ring.

[9] On May 19, 2008, Colombian Interior and Justice ex-Minister Carlos Holguin announced that 'Don Diego', together with some prominent paramilitary leaders, would be extradited to the United States.