DEA official: Ochoa extradition sends a message

Hutchinson said the extradition shows that the U.S. and Colombian anti-drug efforts can work.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Drug Enforcement Administration scored one of its biggest victories in the war against drugs Friday night when alleged Colombian drug kingpin Fabio Ochoa was extradited to the United States.

DEA administrator Asa Hutchinson talked with CNN's Colleen McEdwards about what Ochoa's extradition means to his agency, the United States and Colombia.

MCEDWARDS: How big a victory is this for your agency?

HUTCHINSON: This is an extraordinary victory, really, for the system of justice both in the United States and in Colombia. And obviously it represents a great deal of cooperation between our Justice Department and the Ministry of Justice in Colombia.

It shows that their system can work. It did not get corrupted in this instance. We've had over 25 (people) extradited since their new extradition law was passed, and it shows that they have the political will to fight this extraordinary problem.

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MCEDWARDS: What do you do with him now?

HUTCHINSON: He will go through the normal system. He will be arraigned this week in the Southern District of Florida, in the Miami area, and then he will be set for trial. Obviously these are still charges that we have to prove in a court of law, but … he cannot be brought to justice without this extradition. This is what the drug traffickers fear the most -- the possibility of extradition to the United States.

MCEDWARDS: What kind of penalty could he face? Is this really about getting him or is it about sending that message to others in Colombia that the U.S. is prepared to extradite?

HUTCHINSON: Every individual who engages in this has to know that there is a great risk in drug trafficking, including bringing the person into the United States. But in this case, the penalty he'll face will be under the kingpin statute -- continuing criminal enterprise as well as other conspiracy statutes. As part of the extradition, he will not be subject to the death penalty, but he will have to stand trial.

And that's the message: You cannot escape … responsibility for this. The Colombian system cannot be corrupted, and you have to answer here in the United States.

MCEDWARDS: He's argued and his family has argued in a lot of ways -- setting up a Web site, dropping leaflets in soccer stadiums -- that he and his family cooperated. They surrendered 10 or 11 years ago. They say it was under the understanding that there would be no extradition under an agreement that was in place at that time, and that he's already served time for his crimes.

HUTCHINSON: Under that agreement, what transpired previously was not to be subject to further prosecution. But he is being charged for engaging in drug trafficking after being released. Those are the charges.

What is significant about Ochoa is his significant personality, his presence, his money, his power, his influence in Colombia. With all of that and the campaign that he mounted, Colombia had the political will to go ahead and bring Ochoa to justice. So I think all the right messages are being sent here in this case.