In November 1994, Ramírez was indicted in the District of Colorado, in 2004 in the Eastern District of New York and, again indicted in 2006 in Eastern District of New York.
Between state indictments a federal jury in March, 2004 brought forth a federal indictment on RICO charges, for his leadership in the Norte del Valle cartel, and drug trafficking.
Requests from the Department of State to Colombia for the extradition of Ramírez were denied.
A provisional arrest warrant was issued and sent to the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, as well as a 5 million dollar bounty placed on Abadia for his arrest.

In August 2000 the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) declared Ramírez a "Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker," allowing the seizure of funds connected to, or stemming from his illegal activities.
The OFAC announced on August 29, 2006, the seizure of assets from two companies related to Ramírez, a pharmaceutical distribution company, Disdrogas Ltda.
and a Colombian holdings company, Ramirez Abadia y Cia.
S.C.S. Disdrogas Ltda.,
originally named Ramirez y Cia.
Ltda', was operated by Ramírez' parents Omar Ramírez Ponce and Carmen Alicia Abadía Bastidas, and his business associates Jorge Rodrigo Salinas Cuevas and Edgar Marino Otalora Restrepo.
The now defunct Ramirez Abadia y Cia.
S.C.S was believed to be used to hold real estate and other assets for Ramírez.

In January 2007, Colombian officials stepped up efforts to combat the drug cartels in a series of raids targeting their financial holdings.
In a one-week period Colombian officials discovered over $54 million in cash and gold ingots, hidden in buildings in the south-eastern portion of Cali.
The stash of money and gold was located in vacuum sealed plastic bags inside locked steel chambers covered in concrete which was tiled over.
The residents of the houses were arrested and taken into custody.
The $54 million was only a small portion of the estimated $1.8 billion estimated fortune.

On August 7, 2007, Ramírez was arrested in Aldeia da Serra, a wealthy neighborhood of Barueri, state of São Paulo, by Brazilian Federal Police during a raid.
An auction of his belongings following his arrest led to an enormous queue of Brazilians trying to get their hands on one of the drug lord's goods.
In November 1994, Ramírez was indicted in the District of Colorado, in 2004 in the Eastern District of New York and, again indicted in 2006 in Eastern District of New York. Between state indictments a federal jury in March, 2004 brought forth a federal indictment on RICO charges, for his leadership in the Norte del Valle cartel, and drug trafficking. Requests from the Department of State to Colombia for the extradition of Ramírez were denied. A provisional arrest warrant was issued and sent to the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, as well as a 5 million dollar bounty placed on Abadia for his arrest.
In August 2000 the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) declared Ramírez a "Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker," allowing the seizure of funds connected to, or stemming from his illegal activities. The OFAC announced on August 29, 2006, the seizure of assets from two companies related to Ramírez, a pharmaceutical distribution company, Disdrogas Ltda. and a Colombian holdings company, Ramirez Abadia y Cia. S.C.S. Disdrogas Ltda., originally named Ramirez y Cia. Ltda', was operated by Ramírez' parents Omar Ramírez Ponce and Carmen Alicia Abadía Bastidas, and his business associates Jorge Rodrigo Salinas Cuevas and Edgar Marino Otalora Restrepo. The now defunct Ramirez Abadia y Cia. S.C.S was believed to be used to hold real estate and other assets for Ramírez.
In January 2007, Colombian officials stepped up efforts to combat the drug cartels in a series of raids targeting their financial holdings. In a one-week period Colombian officials discovered over $54 million in cash and gold ingots, hidden in buildings in the south-eastern portion of Cali. The stash of money and gold was located in vacuum sealed plastic bags inside locked steel chambers covered in concrete which was tiled over. The residents of the houses were arrested and taken into custody. The $54 million was only a small portion of the estimated $1.8 billion estimated fortune.
On August 7, 2007, Ramírez was arrested in Aldeia da Serra, a wealthy neighborhood of Barueri, state of São Paulo, by Brazilian Federal Police during a raid. An auction of his belongings following his arrest led to an enormous queue of Brazilians trying to get their hands on one of the drug lord's goods.
Juan Carlos Ramírez Abadía