Buenos Aires, Oct 31 (IANS): The widow and son of late Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar were being investigated in Argentina for laundering $15 million through local companies, authorities confirmed here.

The Argentine Security Ministry and Colombia's Information and Analysis Unit (UIAF) on Monday designated Maria Victoria Henao and Pablo Escobar Jr. as alleged links between Colombian drug trafficker Jose Bayron Piedrahita Ceballos and an unnamed Argentine businessmen, reports Efe news.

Henao and Escobar Jr. facilitated contacts so that Ceballos could hide his illegal activities involving Argentine corporations, according to the investigation undertaken in Colombia, the US and Argentina.

Ceballos has an outstanding extradition order issued by the US, where he is charged with drug trafficking and corruption, although he is under arrest in Colombia.

An operation mounted by the Colombian Attorney General's Office, the US Drug Enforcement Administration and Argentine authorities uncovered evidence that Ceballos "had laundered money for several drug trafficking networks".

Henao and Escobar Jr. moved to Argentina and took on new identities after Escobar's death in 1993.

His fortunes were estimated to be over $1 billion at the time.