Colombia's most-wanted drug lord was cowering like a dog under a palm tree when he was captured yesterday in a jungle raid involving hundreds of police officers, the defence minister said.

Daniel Rendon Herrera, alias 'Don Mario', was taken in shackles to the capital to await possible extradition to the United States (US).

Rendon Herrera allegedly commanded hundreds of armed men in a private militia and directed a criminal organisation that sent hundreds of tons of cocaine to the US.

President Alvaro Uribe described Rendon Herrera, 43, as "one of the most-feared drug traffickers in the world".