Dairo Antonio Usuga, known as Otoniel, was caught by Colombia's armed forces during an operation in a rural area of Colombia's Uraba region, Antioquia province, which involved more than 500 members of Colombia's special forces and 22 helicopters, officials said on Saturday.

The Clan del Golfo has a presence in 12 of Colombia's 32 provinces, and counts some 3,800 members, according to information provided by Colombia's national police.

Colombia's police chief, General Jorge Vargas, said much of the information leading to Otoniel's capture came from Clan del Golfo members.

Otoniel trafficked between 180 tonnes and 200 tonnes of cocaine a year with the Clan del Golfo, and is responsible for the deaths of more than 200 members of Colombia's security forces, the Defense Ministry said in a statement.