Colombian government to auction off alleged cartel boss’s Ferrari trio
Juan José Valencia is a suspected Colombian drug cartel boss … with good taste in cars. When authorities arrested him in May of last year and extradited him to the U.S. a few months later, they found an impressive 30-car collection at his mansion, which, on the grounds, had a professional soccer field, a nightclub, and three swimming pools, one with water reportedly shipped in from the Dead Sea.
There has been a lot of legal wrangling over who owns what, but the Colombian authorities have apparently been awarded three Ferraris, which will be auctioned off by El Martillo, the virtual auction arm of Banco Popular, on October 25. According to Vice.com, the proceeds from the sale will go “back to the people.” The prancing horses up for grabs are a red 2020 812 Superfast with less than 2000 miles on it; a silver 2019 488 Spider with less than 1000 miles; and a white 2019 Ferrari Portofino that was supposedly Valencia’s wife’s car, with 1000 miles on it. (Here is link to the government auction lots.) Final results will be announced on November 16.
The Special Assets Company, which is handling the sale, tweeted that the cars “still smell like new.” According to Archyde.com, there were the three Ferraris, six custom motorcycles, eight trucks and multiple classic collectible cars in his garage. An article in El Tiempo says that Valencia was also partial to Jeeps, Mercedes-Benzes, and Maseratis.
Juan Jose Valencia, referred to as “Falcón” back home, was the “most senior narcotrafficker in the Clan del Golfo,” a major drug cartel with operations in several countries, according to Dialogo-Americas.com.
According to the Colombian Police, the Falcón “shipped some eight tons of cocaine base paste per month from Barranquilla, Cartagena, and Santa Marta in Colombia to the United States, Central America, and Europe,” said Dialogo-Americas.com.
Apparently his first stop after been extradited to the U.S. last month was the U.S. Southern District Court for the Southern District of Florida, on charges of drug trafficking and shipment of illicit drugs abroad. No word on what will happen to the rest of his collection, or his swimming pool filled with Dead Sea water.
