[27] They had two children: Juan Pablo (now Sebastin Marroqun) and Manuela. All 107 people were killed in the blast. [1] Hundreds of government officials, judges and policemen who failed to accept bribes were assassinated under the orders of the barons. The luxury house contained a colonial house, a sculpture park, and a complete zoo with animals from various continents, including elephants, exotic birds, giraffes, and hippopotamuses. Mr Duque, quoted by AFP news agency, described the operation as "the biggest penetration of the jungle ever seen in the military history of our country". So, just how much money can these violent criminals make by peddling forbidden substances? This is a list of Mexico's 37 most-wanted drug lords as published by Mexican federal authorities on 23 March 2009. [60] Escobar's body was exhumed on 28 October 2006 at the request of some of his relatives in order to take a DNA sample to confirm the alleged paternity of an illegitimate child and remove all doubt about the identity of the body that had been buried next to his parents for 12 years. The four-bedroom estate, built in 1948 on Biscayne Bay, was seized by the US federal government in the 1980s. Local media were alerted, and after being exposed as Escobar's widow, Henao was imprisoned for eighteen months while her finances were investigated. The gang controls many of the routes used to smuggle drugs from Colombia to the US, and as far away as Russia. 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He created a zoo, a lake and other diversions for his family and organization. He was indicted in the US in 2009, and faces extradition proceedings, which could see him eventually appear in court in New York. [6] In 1992, the DEA seized two of Santacruz Londoo's cocaine conversion laboratories in Brooklyn. The question is, will Otoniel's capture impact the trade of the illicit drug? The film was shown at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and premiered in the US on HBO in October 2010. Ultimately, authorities were unable to link her funds to illegal activity, and she was released. [7] Several political leaders, such as President Virgilio Barco Vargas, became convinced that the ruthless drug lords were intent on becoming so powerful that they could oust the formal government and run the country. He gained plenty of popularity by sponsoring charities and sports but eventually undermined his own reputation with excessive and often indiscriminate violence. Rather than hide the drugs in the coffins, they were hidden in the pallets underneath, as depicted in the feature film American Gangster (2007) in which he was played by Denzel Washington, although the film fictionalized elements of Lucas' life for, Leroy Nicholas Barnes (October 15, 1933 June 18, 2012) was an American crime boss, active in New York City during the 1970s. Mayor Federico Gutierrez had been pushing to raze the building and erect in its place a park honoring the thousands of cartel victims, including four presidential candidates and some 500 police officers. [79] Details about them, and additional films about Escobar, are listed below. From [the] beginning, he was always a gentleman. El Vicentillo, is the son of Ismael Zambada Garcia, one of the most dangerous drug lords of the infamous Sinaloa Cartel. [71], On 22 February 2019, at 11:53 AM local time, Medelln authorities demolished the six-story Edificio Mnaco apartment complex in the El Poblado neighborhood where, according to retired Colombian general Rosso Jos Serrano, Escobar planned some of his most brazen attacks. Read about our approach to external linking. [19], In Congress, the new Minister of Justice, Rodrigo Lara-Bonilla, had become Escobar's opponent, accusing Escobar of criminal activity from the very first day of Congress. His drug cartel monopolized the cocaine trade into the United States and he became one of the wealthiest criminals ever in history. Escobar had also planned to construct a Greek-style citadel near it, and though construction of the citadel was started, it was never finished. Many there, especially many of the city's poor whom Escobar had aided while he was alive, mourned his death, and over 25,000 people attended his funeral. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [65] As of early 2014, 40 hippos have been reported to exist in Puerto Triunfo, Antioquia Department, from the original four belonging to Escobar. [2023 Business Model]. In 1975, Pablo Escobar began smuggling and trafficking cocaine. On 12 December 2017, it was announced that Mesa Family leader Juan Carlos Mesa had been captured. By 2007, the animals had multiplied to 16 and had taken to roaming the area for food in the nearby Magdalena River. Accounts of Escobar's continued criminal activities while in prison began to surface in the media, which prompted the government to attempt to move him to a more conventional jail on 22 July 1992. His life inspired numerous books and films. prison. [1][7] U.S. law enforcement officials in the 1990s estimated that Colombian drug cartels spent more than $500 million on bribing officials every year. They would find unusual holes in floors and walls, as well as a safe that was stolen from its hole in the marble flooring before it could be properly examined. [63], Escobar kept four hippos in a private menagerie at Hacienda Npoles. Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuelas moniker El Ajedrecista translates to The Chess Player in English and was bestowed upon him because of how carefully he considered his every move. So here, we have assembled 15 of the most famous Mexican drug lords who terrorized half of the world with their cruel and insane doings. At the same time, Escobar was gradually becoming a public figure, and because of his charitable work, he was known as "Robin Hood Paisa." In 1972, Barnes formed The Council, a seven-man African-American organized crime syndicate that controlled a significant part of the heroin trade in the Harlem area of New York City. [27][28] It is estimated that she was responsible for the homicides of around 200 people in Colombia, Florida, New York, and California. I fell in love with his desire to help people and his compassion for their hardship. In 1996, the Medelln and Cali cartels were estimated to control 7580% of the Andean region's cocaine traffic, and a similar percentage of the U.S. cocaine market, earning $68 billion a year. In late 1986, Colombia's Supreme Court declared the previous extradition treaty illegal due to being signed by a presidential delegation, not the president. Washington Federal prosecutors unsealed criminal charges against 28 members and associates of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel including the three sons of former drug lord Joaqun "El Chapo . Griselda Blanco Restrepo [2] (February 14, 1943 - September 3, 2012), known as the Black Widow, was a Colombian drug lord of the Medelln Cartel, and in the Miami -based cocaine drug trade and underworld, during the 1970s through the early 2000s. A great lover. All Rights Reserved, 25+ Interesting Facts About Bomb and Explosions, A Unique Diamond With Another Diamond Moving Freely Inside, 13 Best Apps Like Possible Finance In 2023, How Does Zelle Make Money? This includes the most prominent drug lords, living and dead, both in America and abroad. Rodriguez Gacha was also on the United States list of the dozen most-wanted Colombian drug traffickers. 2019 TIME USA, LLC. Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was born on 1 December 1949 in Rionegro, Antioquia Department. $7.7 million (including $2.7 million by the Colombian government) was offered to anybody who could capture him in the United States. On 31 August 2011 Santofimio was sentenced to 24 years in prison for his role in the crime. [23] He is considered to be one of the most important Colombian drug kingpins to be successfully prosecuted in the United States. Sentenced to fifteen years in prison, he was temporarily freed in early November 2002, due to a controversial judicial order issued by deputy judge Pedro Jos Surez, who believed the reduction was applicable through habeas corpus. Otoniel is a household name and has been hugely powerful, especially in the north west of the country. She has lived, worked . This act was controversial, as it was suspected that Escobar and other drug lords had influenced members of the Constituent Assembly in passing the law. A snappy nickname is not uncommon in Mexico, but it seems to be a prerequisite to being a Mexican drug lord or top enforcer. Earning himself the title of No. Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is currently the most wanted criminal in India, with a reward of $25 million being offered in return for his capture. Santacruz Londoo was arrested on 4 July 1995. When we talk of drug lords, probably the first name to crosses our minds would be of El Chapothe most significant drug lord in history! Arturo was killed in a 2009 shootout, but Alfredo continued his reign of terror until 2017 when he was sentenced to life in prison. This Colombian Drug Kingpin, easily the best-known co-founder of the Medellin Cartel, had ambitions of becoming the President of Colombia. Some reports indicated that Escobar's net worth was approximately $35 billion.[14]. US and UK agencies were involved in the search. In 1992, in exchange for Lehder's agreement to testify against Manuel Noriega, his sentence was reduced to a total of 55 years. In the past, police have found special orthopaedic mattresses for Otoniel in these sparse homes, as he suffered back pain from a herniated disc. On 7 February 1990 Barrera was arrested on drug charges by Colombian authorities. Rum and Monkey isn't responsible for its content, however good it may be. This is it. [21][22], Escobar still held a grudge against Luis Carlos Galn, who kicked him out of politics, and was assassinated on 18 August 1989, at Escobar's orders. [43][44] Vallejo would subsequently testify in Galn's assassination. Ismael Zambada. Three notable Colombian drug lords who were captured are Diego Perez Henao in June, Javier Antonio Calle Serna, who surrendered in Aruba in May, and Daniel Barrera Barrera who was caught in September. Escobar spent millions developing some of Medelln's poorest neighborhoods. The list includes names such as Al Capone, Richard Wershe Jr., Ross Ulbricht, George Jung and Robert Evans. The luxury house he created contained a zoo, a lake, a sculpture garden, a private bullring, and other amenities for his family and the cartel. Chief Vargas said his movements were traced by more than 50 signal intelligence experts using satellite imagery. At this time, the hard life on the streets of Medellin had polished them into gangster bullies in the eyes of teachers. 4, Ma Xiuqin: Ma Xiuqin is the largest female drug lord in China's top ten drug lords. When the AUC dissolved in 2005, he began working for the drug lord Daniel Rendn Herrera . Carlos Lehder (1949) was one of Colombia's most dangerous drug barons in the early to mid-1980s. Otoniel was captured in his rural hideout in Antioquia province in north-western Colombia, close to the border with Panama. [citation needed], Escobar's widow (Mara Henao, now Mara Isabel Santos Caballero), son (Juan Pablo, now Sebastin Marroqun Santos) and daughter (Manuela) fled Colombia in 1995 after failing to find a country that would grant them asylum. 2. [9] Another was a Dominican and naturalized American citizen, a former U.S. Marine who was accused by Venezuelan president Hugo Chvez of being a U.S. His motivation to join the MAS was to retaliate against the M-19 guerrilla movement, which, on 19 November 1981, attempted to kidnap him in order to ask for a ransom, but he escaped from the kidnappers and they only managed to shoot him in the leg. Csar Gaviria Trujillo, the president of Colombia, cited Escobar and the Medelln Cartel as "the worst of two evils", the other being rivals, the Cali Cartel. Known . [4] Jos Santacruz Londoo, Gilberto Rodrguez Orejuela, and Miguel Rodrguez Orejuela were key figures in the Cali Cartel in the end of 1970s. "In South America, there is no larger cocaine trafficker," says Toby Muse, author of Kilo: Inside the Cocaine Cartels. [12], Soon after Escobar's death and the subsequent fragmentation of the Medelln Cartel, the cocaine market became dominated by the rival Cali Cartel until the mid-1990s when its leaders were either killed or captured by the Colombian government. "This blow is only comparable to the fall of Pablo Escobar in the 1990s.". Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo is a convicted Mexican drug lord. [45] In her book, Amando a Pablo, odiando a Escobar (Loving Pablo, Hating Escobar), she had accused several politicians, including Colombian presidents Alfonso Lpez Michelsen, Ernesto Samper and lvaro Uribe of having links to drug cartels. Escobar also entered politics in the 1970s and participated in and supported the formation of the Liberal Party of Colombia. [33], Escobar faced threats from the Colombian police, the U.S. government and his rival, the Cali Cartel. All this, however, offers small encouragement as Mexico tries to . Before he gave himself up, the extradition of Colombian citizens to the United States had been prohibited by the newly approved Colombian Constitution of 1991. One police officer was killed. [31] When he was captured, the Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos described him as "perhaps the most wanted kingpin in recent times". [10] His life has also served as inspiration for or has been dramatized widely in film, television, and in music. Escobar then planted a bomb on Avianca Flight 203 in an attempt to assassinate Galn's successor, Csar Gaviria Trujillo, who missed the plane and survived. One of the more recent sensations in the drug lord occupation was Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, a major Mexican drug lord who terrorized the country until a few years ago, and . Pablo Escobars accountant claimed that he spent $2,500 a month on nothing but the rubber bands needed to wrap up his staggering amount of illegal cash. All rights reserved. ", "Pablo Escobar: Colombia sterilises drug lord's hippos", "Pablo Escobar's six-floor apartment demolished in Medellin as symbol of rebirth", "What is actor Christian Bale doing next? Dairo Antonio suga, better known as Otoniel, was seized after a joint operation by the army, air force and police on Saturday. While arrest records have been lost, Escobar apparently sat in a Medellin prison for several months before his 20th birthday. Christopher Cokes attitude in court in 2012 was remarkably unapologetic, with him stating Im pleading guilty because I am, before being given his 23-year sentence. [48] This attitude proved to be the reason the cartel did not kill her and her children after Pablo's death, although the group demanded (and received) millions of dollars in reparations for Escobar's war against them. While the Medelln Cartel was involved in a brutal campaign of violence against the Colombian government, the Cali Cartel grew in power, reaching its peak in the early to mid-1990s when they controlled some 80% of the world's cocaine supply and earned an estimated $8 billion a year. He then studied in college with the goal of becoming a criminal lawyer, a politician, and eventually the president, but had to give up because of lack of money. This page was last edited on 27 April 2023, at 02:48. They flew cocaine in from Colombia by jet and then reloaded it into small aircraft. [21] Lehder's ultimate scheme was to revolutionize the cocaine trade by transporting the drug to the United States, using small aircraft from Norman's Cay. Photo credit: EPA. He and his gang stole cars and dismantled them to sell their parts, and with enough money on hand, Escobar bribed officials to launder his loot. Fox Telecolombia produced in 2019 a TV Series. Initially, Escobar tried to bribe the Medelln judges who were forming the case against him. ( Example : app brand cool kids ) Although only an alternate, he was automatically granted parliamentary immunity and the right to a diplomatic passport under Colombian law. One such example is the romantic film Paradise Lost, which sees Benicio Del Toro playing the role of Pablo Escobar. The ongoing Mexican government campaign has led to the killing of two major drug lords, Nazario Moreno Gonzalez and Antonio Ezequiel Cardenas at the end of 2010, and the arrest in June 2011 of Moreno's apparent successor Jesus Mendez Vargas. Escobar's legacy remains controversial; while many denounce the heinous nature of his crimes, he was seen as a "Robin Hood-like" figure for many in Colombia, as he provided many amenities to the poor. He was a joint leader of the Cali Cartel alongside his brother, Miguel Rodrguez Orejuela, before beginning his 30-year prison sentence in the United States. Worth $1 billion, he's been hiding out since 2001, when he escaped a maximum-security prison in Mexico by bribing . I met a man who claimed to be Ersa at a ball and took her on the road of drug trafficking. He earned so much community support that capturing him in Kingston, Jamaica was a harrowing five-week ordeal with many casualties. [47] Despite Escobar's numerous and continual infidelities, Maria remained supportive of her husband. Henao even successfully negotiated for her son's life by personally guaranteeing he would not seek revenge against the cartel or participate in the drug trade. In the early 1970s, he was a thief and bodyguard, and he made a quick $700,000 on the side kidnapping and ransoming a Medelln executive before entering the drug trade. He also built housing complexes for the homeless. Griselda Blanco. The relationship was discouraged by the Henao family, who considered Escobar socially inferior; the pair eloped. Earning himself the title of "No. We [would] drive to places where he dreamed of building schools for the poor. Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria (/ s k b r /; Spanish: [palo eskoa]; 1 December 1949 - 2 December 1993) was a Colombian drug lord, narcoterrorist, and a politician, who was the founder and sole leader of the Medelln Cartel.Dubbed "the king of cocaine", Escobar was the wealthiest criminal in history, having amassed an estimated net worth of US$30 billion by the time of . After a few months, in October of that same year, Barrera escaped from prison. [33] U.S. District Judge Gregory Howard Woods called Barrera's crimes "staggering" and stated: "It's hard to exaggerate the quantity of narcotics for which he was responsible."[33]. In 1991, Escobar surrendered to authorities, and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment on a host of charges, but struck a deal of no extradition with Colombian President Csar Gaviria, with the ability of being housed in his own, self-built prison, La Catedral. Vain says he can find a name by "researching their gamer tag (a . Born in Antioquia in the early 1970s, Otoniel jumped between several guerrilla and paramilitary groups - including the Farc (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), the major Marxist-Leninist rebel group, and the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), a far-right paramilitary and drug trafficking gang. According to the Colombian National Police intelligence service DIJIN, Barrera bribed numerous Colombian policemen in order to maintain his drug emporium in Bogot. Escobar continued to bribe and intimidate Colombian law enforcement agencies, in the same fashion. Escobar's infiltration into the U.S. created exponential demand for cocaine and by the 1980s it was estimated Escobar led monthly shipments of 70 to 80tons of cocaine into the country from Colombia. The Robin Hood image that Escobar had cultivated maintained a lasting influence in Medelln. Born in Armenia, Colombia, Lehder eventually ran a cocaine transport empire on Norman's Cay island, 210 miles (340km) off the Florida coast in the central Bahamas. In the 1982 Colombian parliamentary election, Escobar was elected as an alternate member of the Chamber of Representatives as part of the Liberal Alternative movement. Colombia's most wanted drug trafficker and the leader of the country's largest criminal gang has been captured. 2023 BBC. entered into the criminal world by selling stolen vehicles, while serving a prison sentence for selling stolen cars that Lehder decided, Lehders true dream was to head up a new Colombian Neo-Nazi government, bestowed upon him because of how carefully he considered his every move, joint leader of the Cali Cartel alongside his brother, Miguel Rodrguez Orejuela, he said misrepresented the true facts and tarnished his reputation as a result, one of the most wanted men in Colombia while he was at large, resulted in the death of himself and his 17-year-old son, Freddy, name means Prince Prosperous in the Burmese Shan dialect, turned himself in during 1991 and served only five years, purportedly handling thousands of pounds of cocaine, with a reward of $25 million being offered in return for his capture, involved in the Mumbai terrorist attacks of 1993 and 2008, Pakistan claims no knowledge of his whereabouts and evidence is scarce, smuggled multi-ton loads of methamphetamine and cocaine, continued his reign of terror until 2017 when he was sentenced to life in prison, based on a forgiving estimate of the value of the cocaine that he smuggled, he also laundered money through Colombia to finance his fleets, died in a Mexican hospital in 1997 after getting intensive plastic surgery, the first drug lord to use private planes to traffic cocaine, he established programs to assist impoverished members of the community, a harrowing five-week ordeal with many casualties, gained plenty of popularity by sponsoring charities and sports, excessive and often indiscriminate violence. Escobar has been the subject of several books, including the following: Two major feature films on Escobar, Escobar (2009) and Killing Pablo (2011), were announced in 2007. Joe Profaci was an Italian-bornNew York Citymafiaboss. Dataset. . This sparked debate about whether he killed himself or whether he was shot dead. List of famous drug lords, with photos, bios, and other information when available. 5, Yuanlunzi: Yuanlunzi, known as "general", has secretly made drugs in Myanmar for 7 years. Drug Traffickers and Their Nicknames: A Guide. The proposal was initially answered in the negative, and Escobar subsequently founded and implicitly supported the Los Extraditable Organization, which aims to fight extradition policy. Several of them, notably Pablo Escobar, were long considered among the world's most dangerous and most wanted men by U.S. intelligence. He led a now-defunct criminal group called the Guadalajara Cartel alongside Rafael Caro Quintero and Miguel ngel Flix Gallardo. However, alongside his criminal activities, he established programs to assist impoverished members of the community. He was captured in 1996 and jailed for life in the US. Drug barons of Colombia refer to some of the most notable drug lords which operate in illegal drug trafficking in Colombia.

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