MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Pablo Escobar's house museum demolished after all

The demolition was carried out to avoid the so-called “narcotours” praising the notorious criminal

Colombian authorities Monday demolished legendary drug lord Pablo Escobar's House-Museum in Medellín, in a move to bring the so-called “narcotours” to an end.

“After years of litigation and several urban planning sanctions, the demolition of the irregular construction that was located on the property, recognized as a site of tourist affluence of the ill-named narcotours, was verified,” explained the operational undersecretary of the Secretariat of Security, Colonel Omar Rodríguez.

Some 50 officials from the Departments of Security and Coexistence, Territorial Management and Control, and the Metropolitan Police participated in the operation Monday at the house in Loma del Indio, in El Poblado de Medellín, it was reported by El Tiempo.

The demolition order was imposed by Police Inspectorate 9B because the property had a two-story building that did not have the necessary permits for its operation, construction, and opening to the public, it was explained.

The house was owned by Roberto Escobar Gaviria, alias 'El Osito', brother of the late leader of the Medellín Cartel. “When we arrived at the site we found that the owner of the property had already advanced these actions. From the District we reject the use of the territory for those activities that promote drug tourism,” added Rodríguez.

El Osito filed several legal actions to prevent the demolition but to no avail. As per the judge's decision, the building was to have been demolished by June 30.