José Orlando Henao Montoya (5 May 1953 – 13 November 1998) was a leader of the Norte del Valle Cartel of Colombia. He was responsible for ordering the death of Cali Cartel leader Helmer Herrera, and he was murdered on the orders of Pacho's brother Jose Manuel Herrera.
Biography[]
Sandra Avila Beltran meeting Henao Montoya in 1986
Orlando Henao Montoya was born in Cartago in the Cauca Valley of Colombia, the older brother of Lorena Henao Montoya. He was nicknamed "The Overalls Man", and he became the capo de capos in the northern Cauca Valley as a leader of the Norte del Valle Cartel after working as a policeman for years. Norte del Valle was the third-largest cartel in Colombia after the Cali Cartel and the Medellin Cartel, and, in 1986, he agreed to do business with the Mexican freelance drug trafficker Sandra Avila Beltran, sending her 200 kilograms of cocaine to traffic into the United States. He was surprised at her rapid success, as Enedina Arellano Felix had helped her smuggle the drugs across the American border with the help of an army of guest workers serving as drug mules. In 1987, Avila brought Enedina to meet Henao in Colombia, and they agreed to take on a load of 700 kilograms of cocaine. Henao convinced Avila to make him her exclusive supplier, following in the footsteps of Cali Cartel lieutenant Helmer Herrera, who made Gulf Cartel boss Juan Nepomuceno Guerra his sole trafficker. Avila agreed in exchange for a 10% discount for all cocaine shipments above 400 kilograms, and Henao became very wealthy due to Avila and Enedina's successful shipments.
Downfall[]
Henao later became rivals with the Cali Cartel after Helmer Herrera assassinated his associate Claudio Salazar in 1994, and his cartel became more powerful as Cali declined. In 1995, Henao Montoya surrendered to the Colombian authorities and served a light prison sentence, with his sister Lorena leading the cartel in his absence. In 1998, Henao Montoya had Herrera murdered in prison, but he underestimated the power of Jose Manuel Herrera, Pacho's middle brother. On 13 November 1998, Henao Montoya was assassinated in the Picota of Bogota.
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