 Vargas was jailed in Colombia in 1995 for 19 years and fined $1.5 million for drugs offenses, plus another 25 years in jail for murder and illegally carrying firearms.While imprisoned in 1997, he survived an assassination attempt when his rival set off a bomb at his jail.Vargas was released early in 2002, but authorities seized assets to the value of $40 million and 135 houses, four vehicles, two bank accounts and three companies, all of which were acquired with the proceeds of drug trafficking.