Colombian drug lord Juan Castro, also known by his alias ‘Matamba’, fled from a high-security prison on Friday morning. The incident was filmed by security cameras on-site. 

Castro, a member of the notorious Gulf Clan drug cartel, was recorded escaping the perimeters of La Picota jail in Colombia’s Bogota, sporting a guard’s uniform. As per a report by BBC, a prison officer was arrested for helping Castro escape prison. 

The drug lord had been incarcerated since May 2021 and was waiting to be extradited to the United States.

Surveillance footage shared by Colombia’s prison service features Castro walking through a door that was left open. According to a report by the Daily Mail, the drug lord walked through seven doors and wore a hooded jacket to cover his face. 

National Penitentiary and Prison Institute inspector Milton Jimenez was arrested for aiding Castro’s prison break. According to reports, Jimenez helped the drug lord pass through five monitoring checkpoints. 

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A report by local newspaper El Tiempo states that Castro returned to his cell around 12:30 am on Friday. After changing into a guard’s costume, Castro fled prison. It is believed that Castro paid a $5 million bribe to escape the heavily guarded jail. 

Along with the prison director, 55 other guards and officials have been suspended for being allegedly involved in the incident. 

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Juan Castro, with a record of 12 arrests for drug charges, has escaped prison twice before this incident. In 2018, Castro faked his own death while he was on medical leave from prison, according to a report by local newspaper Semana. He is accused of facilitating 20% of the cocaine shipments from Nariño, a province in Colombia.