Alleged leader of world's largest narco sailboat arrested in Colombia

Pazooki Farhad, a Norwegian man dubbed "The Profesor", has been was captured in Bogota, Colombia by police at El Dorado airport, while his alleged right-hand man Bernsten Bjarte was captured in the Caribbean coastal city of Barranquilla.

The police revealed that Farhad is accused of leading a crime ring that trafficked cocaine from South America to Europe on sailboats, CBS News reported.

"According to investigations by various international agencies, the captured citizen (Pazooki Farhad) had criminal links with the so-called Clan del Golfo (the largest Colombian cartel) and Mexican cartels such as Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generacion," police said.

Farhad, who is accused of leading the largest "narco sailboat" organisation in the world, was seen handcuffed in a video released by the Bogota mayor's office.

Earlier this month, Spanish police reported the arrest of 50 people allegedly linked to Farhad in Spain and in seven other countries, as well as the seizure of 1.5 tons of cocaine and eight "drug-shipping sailboats." 

Europol said it had previously designated Farhad as a "high value target." 

He has had "more than 20 years" in the business, winning him the "full confidence of the Colombian and Mexican drug cartels" with whom he coordinated the shipments, it added.

Farhad's arrest comes just days after authorities announced the extradition of another international drug trafficker — a Montenegro citizen dubbed the "Pirate of the Unknown". 

Earlier this week, US authorities announced that the "Pirate of the Unknown" was extradited to New York City from Italy to face charges connected to an alleged international drug ring that transported tons of cocaine aboard ships around the world.

Colombia remains the world's leading producer of cocaine, despite decades of war against the cartels.