Chief Vargas said his movements were traced by more than 50 signal intelligence experts using satellite imagery. He was known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in the Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia. [33], Escobar faced threats from the Colombian police, the U.S. government and his rival, the Cali Cartel. The YouTuber behind the 'African Drug Lord' pranks reveals his secrets - and a disturbing truth about our online privacy. Rum and Monkey isn't responsible for its content, however good it may be. [34], On 4 July 2006, Virginia Vallejo, a television anchorwoman romantically involved with Escobar from 1983 to 1987, offered Attorney General Mario Iguarn her testimony in the trial against former Senator Alberto Santofimio, who was accused of conspiracy in the 1989 assassination of presidential candidate Luis Carlos Galn. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line, Why an Indian comedian is challenging fake news rules. Source: wikimedia.org. [61] A video of the exhumation was broadcast by RCN, angering Marroqun, who accused his uncle, Roberto Escobar, and cousin, Nicolas Escobar, of being "merchants of death" by allowing the video to air. Born in Rionegro and raised in Medelln, Escobar studied briefly at Universidad Autnoma Latinoamericana of Medelln, but left without graduating; he instead began engaging in criminal activity, selling illegal cigarettes and fake lottery tickets, as well as participating in motor vehicle theft. The Los Extraditable Organization was subsequently accused of participating in an effort to prevent the Colombian Supreme Court from studying the constitutionality of Colombia's extradition treaty with the United States. He also built housing complexes for the homeless. The relationship was discouraged by the Henao family, who considered Escobar socially inferior; the pair eloped. List of famous drug lords, with photos, bios, and other information when available. [23][24], After the assassination of Luis Carlos Galn, the administration of Csar Gaviria moved against Escobar and the drug cartels. Police chief Jorge Vargas has said the drug lord was fearful of capture, "never approaching inhabited areas". This list of notable drug lords is ordered by their level of prominence, and can be sorted for various bits of information, such as where these historic drug lords were born and what their nationality is. . A drug lord (also known as drug baron, kingpin, or narcotrafficker) is a person who controls a sizable network of people involved in illegal drug trade. [He] was affectionate and sweet. 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. On 7 February 1990 Barrera was arrested on drug charges by Colombian authorities. [27] They had two children: Juan Pablo (now Sebastin Marroqun) and Manuela. "Ruthless and immensely powerful", several political leaders, such as President Virgilio Barco Vargas, became convinced that the drug lords were becoming so powerful that they could oust the formal government and run the country.[1]. The video was seen by 14 million people, and was instrumental for the reopened case of Galn's assassination. [27] Arrested in 1985 for drug-trafficking charges, she was subsequently convicted and spent almost 20 years in a U.S. Otoniel had used a network of rural safe houses to move around and evade the authorities, and did not use a phone, instead relying on couriers for communication. Known . Colombia's most wanted drug trafficker and the leader of the country's largest criminal gang has been captured. Through this, he was responsible for community projects such as the construction of houses and football fields, which gained him popularity among the locals of the towns that he frequented. [8], Illegal cocaine trafficking from Colombia is routed through Venezuela to the northern part of Mexico and then further to the United States. 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. Initially, Escobar tried to bribe the Medelln judges who were forming the case against him. In addition to his drug-related crimes, he also laundered money through Colombia to finance his fleets. (Former crime boss, active in New York City during the 1970s), (American Mobster in the Bonanno Crime Family), (Fugitive and convicted murderer who was added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on December 7, 1996), (Former drug kingpin known for his notorious ways throughout the 1980's and 1990's in New York and Washington, D.C.), (Former Manhattan Triad leader and Drug dealer). 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. 4, Ma Xiuqin: Ma Xiuqin is the largest female drug lord in China's top ten drug lords. "Ruthless and immensely powerful", several political leaders, such as President Virgilio Barco Vargas, became convinced that the drug . Escobar continued to bribe and intimidate Colombian law enforcement agencies, in the same fashion. According to the Colombian National Police intelligence service DIJIN, Barrera bribed numerous Colombian policemen in order to maintain his drug emporium in Bogot. I fell in love with his desire to help people and his compassion for their hardship. 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. [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. Some reports indicated that Escobar's net worth was approximately $35 billion.[14]. Griselda Blanco. [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. The Gulf Cartel is a formidable and violent organisation with a great deal of power. For other uses, see, infiltrate every level of the Colombian government, Killing Pablo: The Hunt for the World's Greatest Outlaw, Pablo Escobar: El Patrn del Mal (Pablo Escobar, The Boss Of Evil), "10 facts reveal the absurdity of Pablo Escobar's wealth", "Here's How Rich Pablo Escobar Would Be If He Was Alive Today", "Pablo Escobar Gaviria English Biography Articles and Notes", "Pablo Emilio Escobar 1949 1993 9 Billion USD The business of crime 5 'success' stories", "Familiares exhumaron cadver de Pablo Escobar para verificar plenamente su identidad", "Decline of the Medelln Cartel and the Rise of the Cali Mafia", "Escobar's Former Mansion Will Now Be A Theme Park", "Colombia: Coexistence, Legal Confrontation, and War with Illegal Armed Groups", "Cali Colombia Nacional Pablo Escobar financi la toma del Palacio de Justicia Escobar financi toma del Palacio de Justicia", "25 years on, Colombia still mourns Escobar plane bombing, still wants answers", "Colombian Drug Baron Escapes Luxurious Prison After Gunfight", "Escobar escape humiliates Colombian leaders", "Loving Pablo Director on Reuniting Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz: It's Been Very Intense", "Me Matan, Limon! Joe Profaci was an Italian-bornNew York Citymafiaboss. "This blow is only comparable to the fall of Pablo Escobar in the 1990s.". Barnes led The Council into an international drug trafficking ring, in partnership with the Italian-American Mafia, until his arrest in 1977. Escobar managed to change the first judge in the lawsuit and bribed the second judge, so he was released along with other prisoners. He's quite possibly the most volatile and unstable member of the Juarez Cartel and the Salamanca family, and that's saying something. "We are living in the golden age of cocaine, we are producing more cocaine than ever - that's a fact.". By the time of his arrest in 1995, he dominated much of the U.S. market, operating large-scale cocaine operations in most of the major U.S. cities. From [the] beginning, he was always a gentleman. Santacruz Londoo was arrested on 4 July 1995. Escobar's arrest in 1976 was investigated by Lara-Bonilla's subordinates. Dubbed "The King of Cocaine", Escobar is the wealthiest criminal in history, having amassed an estimated net worth of US$30 billion by the time of his death (equivalent to $58 billion as of 2018), while his cartel monopolized the cocaine trade into the United States in the 1980s and 1990s.Born in Rionegro and raised in Medelln, Escobar studied briefly at Universidad Autnoma Latinoamericana of Medelln, but left without graduating; he instead began engaging in criminal, Frank Lucas (September 9, 1930 May 30, 2019) was an American drug trafficker who operated in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s. [50] Living under her assumed name, Henao became a successful real estate entrepreneur until one of her business associates discovered her true identity, and Henao absconded with her earnings. 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. Jose Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha. There's no doubt this is seen as a coup by Colombian authorities - they've been trying to capture Otoniel for several years now. [41] As of late, Guillermo Alejandro of the Mesa Family has been pinpointed as one of the main suppliers of mainland Europe. Local media were alerted, and after being exposed as Escobar's widow, Henao was imprisoned for eighteen months while her finances were investigated. Netflix's original show Narcos depicts the life of Pablo Escobar and the Cali Cartel. Escobar left high school in 1966 just before his 17th birthday, before returning two years later with his cousin Gustavo Gaviria. He was hit by bullets in the torso and feet, and a bullet which struck him in the ear, killing him. $5 million is offered to anybody who can reveal him. (Gangster, Co-Founder & Boss of the 'Chicago Outfit' Crime Family), Ross Ulbricht, or "Dread Pirate Roberts, created the dark market site. [35] He was recaptured by Colombian authorities in Cali in March 2003. A drug lord, drug baron, kingpin or narcotrafficker is a type of crime boss, who is in charge of a drug-trafficking network, . Originally a modest housewife in Naples, she entered the mob life when her husband, Nicalo Pianese, was riddled with bullets and killed in 2006. ", "E-40 'The Block Brochure Parts 4, 5 & 6' (Album Covers & Track Lists)", "Kanye West Once Explained the Identity of Pablo From 'The Life of Pablo', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pablo_Escobar&oldid=1151926834, On 24 January 2018, Netflix released the 68-minute-long documentary. The gang derives its name from "showering" communities with bullets and was blamed for more than 1,000 murders during the 1980 . Her statements prompted the reopening of the case in 2008; Vallejo was asked to testify, and many of the events she had described in her book and testimonial were confirmed by Colombia's Commission of Truth. Rodriguez Gacha resisted arrest by the Colombian government, throwing grenades in a shootout that resulted in the death of himself and his 17-year-old son, Freddy. 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. Mired in violence, the "Boss of Bosses" originally worked for the notorious drug lord El Chapo, before he turned on the kingpin and had El Chapo's son murdered by a hit team of around 15 gunmen. Fox Telecolombia produced in 2019 a TV Series. These include making public statements in the press, leaving letters on the graves of his victims and on the 20th anniversary of his death organizing a public memorial for his victims. Vicente Zambada Niebla. [31], Escobar also owned a home in the US under his own name: a 6,500 square foot (604m2), pink, waterfront mansion situated at 5860 North Bay Road in Miami Beach, Florida. . He later died in a Mexican hospital in 1997 after getting intensive plastic surgery in order to alter his appearance and avoid being recognized. Escobar soon became involved in violent crime, employing criminals to kidnap people who owed him money and demand ransoms, sometimes tearing up tickets even when Escobar received the ransom. And the comparisons with Pablo Escobar are understandable. All this, however, offers small encouragement as Mexico tries to rein in the powerful drug cartels that have wreaked havoc across the country. Drug Traffickers and Their Nicknames: A Guide. 29 Apr 2023 15:21:39 His carrot-and-stick strategy of bribing public officials in the Colombian government, and sending hitmen to murder the ones who rejected his bribes, came to be known as "silver or lead" or "money or bullets". List of the most dreaded drug lords in American history. 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. A few months later, Liberal leader Luis Carlos Galn expelled Escobar from the party. Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. Marcos Arturo Beltran Leyva. Photo credit: EPA. . Several of them, notably Pablo Escobar, were long considered among the world's most dangerous and most wanted men by U.S. intelligence. [39][40], Among Escobar's biographers, only Vallejo has given a detailed explanation of his role in the 1985 Palace of Justice siege. Is climate change killing Australian wine? [62], After Escobar's death, the ranch, zoo and citadel at Hacienda Npoles were given by the government to low-income families under a law called Extincin de Dominio (Domain Extinction). With the enormous profits generated by this route, Escobar was soon able to purchase 20 square kilometres (7.7sqmi) of land in Antioquia for several million dollars, on which he built the Hacienda Npoles. His killing was mourned and his funeral attended by over 25,000people. Jemeker Thompson: Crack Queen of L.A 42m. [2023 Business Model]. This was the beginning of his dealing with the authorities, using bribery or other means to achieve his goals.[2]. This includes the most prominent drug lords, living and dead, both in America and abroad. Escobar's influence allowed him to discover the plan in advance and make a successful escape, spending the remainder of his life evading the police.[25][26]. [37][38] On 24 July, a video in which Vallejo had accused Santofimio of instigating Escobar to eliminate presidential candidate Galn was aired by RCN Television of Colombia. Sinoloa Cartel. [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. [70], By October 2021, the Colombian government had started a program of chemically sterilizing the animals. [39] Evading capture for decades,[39] el Tio had by this point in time had become employed by Mexico's Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Iguarn acknowledged that, although Vallejo had contacted his office on 4 July, the judge had decided to close the trial on 9 July, several weeks before the prospective closing date. Few figures are as notoriousor as filthy richas drug lords. Lehder was one of the founding members of Muerte a Secuestradores, a paramilitary group whose focus was to retaliate against the kidnappings of cartel members and their families[16] by the guerrillas. His notoriety came to fruition after multiple reports of shipments transported in living animals, with the title "El bestiality bandito" coined thereafter. The film was shown at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival and premiered in the US on HBO in October 2010. Drug Money Earned: $5 billion. [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]. But now police in Mexico hope to keep hold of Joaquin Guzman, one of the world's most wanted drug barons. After idolizing drug lords as a child, Joaqun "El Chapo" Guzmn becomes one of history's most notorious kingpins, known for his audacious escapes.