Auction of drug lord's belongings deluged

Thousands of Brazilians overwhelmed an auction of a Colombian drug lord's confiscated belongings, forcing authorities to halt the sale of items ranging from big-screen TVs to the kingpin's underwear.

Folha Online reported that nearly 5,000 people showed up Tuesday to bid on hundreds of shoes, bottles of perfume and wristwatches — and even a collection of Hello Kitty dolls belonging to the wife of drug lord Juan Carlos Ramirez Abadia, who was sentenced to more than 30 years in prison in Brazil last week.

The crush prompted officials to suspend the auction after about two hours, Sao Paulo state police said.

Authorities expected to net $1.2 million for donation to charity, according to Folha.

The tumult caused by the crowd that showed up prompted authorities to suspend sales after about two hours, said a Sao Paulo state police officer who declined to be named in line with department policy.

Ramirez Abadia — nicknamed "Chupeta," or "Lollipop" — is accused of being a leader of the powerful Norte del Valle cartel, which emerged as Colombia's most powerful drug gang in the mid-1990s. A judge found him guilty of money laundering, corruption, conspiracy and use of false documents.

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Ramirez Abadia's gang laundered drug profits from Mexico and Spain, moving the money through Uruguay to Brazil and funneling it into hotels, mansions, businesses and cars in Brazil.

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Brazil's Supreme Court ruled last month that Ramirez Abadia could be extradited to the United States to face racketeering charges — a decision that is up to President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Silva has not indicated whether he will approve the extradition, but the judge who convicted Ramirez Abadia said in his ruling that the drug lord should serve his sentence in Brazil before being sent elsewhere to do prison time.