1
00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:08,040
(vehicle running)
2
00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:33,440
(men speaking Spanish)
3
00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:36,920
(motor starts)
4
00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:43,360
♪ ♪
5
00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:28,200
♪ ♪
6
00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:30,680
♪ ♪
7
00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:42,840
(thud)
8
00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:50,360
(men speaking Spanish)
9
00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,360
(dog groans)
10
00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:58,160
♪ ♪
11
00:02:58,160 --> 00:02:59,640
(dog groans)
12
00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:14,360
♪ ♪
13
00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,880
MAN: Shake this square world
and blast off for Kicksville.
14
00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,600
RICHARD NIXON: Public enemy
number one is drug abuse.
15
00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:23,320
NANCY REAGAN: Just say no.
16
00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:25,160
RONALD REAGAN: Halting
the drug problem in America
17
00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:29,360
is like carrying water
in a sieve.
18
00:03:29,360 --> 00:03:33,920
GEORGE H. W. BUSH: Take my word
for it, this scourge will stop!
19
00:03:33,920 --> 00:03:35,240
KAMALA HARRIS:
There's now an understanding
20
00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:39,640
that the war on drugs
was an abject failure.
21
00:03:39,640 --> 00:03:43,000
MAN: You have to stop and ask
yourself, how did we get here?
22
00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,680
DONALD TRUMP:
We will build a wall.
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00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:25,840
♪ ♪
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00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:28,360
GEORGE JUNG: I grew up
in a town like Happy Days.
25
00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:31,320
There weren't any drugs,
no guns, no violence.
26
00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:34,040
And when I went out
to California,
27
00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:36,960
my intention was to go to
Long Beach State College
28
00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,080
and complete my degree
in marketing.
29
00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,720
Suddenly, everybody was
smoking marijuana.
30
00:04:43,720 --> 00:04:47,400
And I saw the value
in selling the marijuana,
31
00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:49,800
more than getting high
off of it.
32
00:04:54,440 --> 00:05:00,760
My name is George Jacob Jung,
spelled J‐U‐N‐G, okay?
33
00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:03,880
And what I'm known for
34
00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:08,280
is being one of
the major drug smugglers
35
00:05:08,280 --> 00:05:09,520
in the world.
36
00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:20,480
♪ ♪
37
00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:22,480
The money was just rolling in,
38
00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:27,520
and you know, of course
it was tax free. (laughs)
39
00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:31,280
But I became bored with that,
as a matter of fact.
40
00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:35,920
I wanted more, I wanted
more thrill, more adventure.
41
00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:40,400
So I convinced my college
buddies to get involved.
42
00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,120
Let's go down to Mexico
and get our own pot.
43
00:05:43,120 --> 00:05:51,600
♪ ♪
44
00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:53,160
We went to a place
called Puerto Vallarta.
45
00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:58,040
And couldn't speak Spanish,
46
00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:03,800
and after five days
we couldn't even find a joint.
47
00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:07,400
My ego was kind of
struck down to zero.
48
00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:11,960
And a little yellow Volkswagen
pulled up out front of the bar,
49
00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:13,880
and this little blonde girl
got out,
50
00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:17,120
and she came right to our table.
51
00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:19,040
She said, "You know,
I've been watching you guys
52
00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,280
for like five days."
53
00:06:21,280 --> 00:06:23,440
She said, "You've asked
everybody in Puerto Vallarta
54
00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:26,480
for marijuana except
the police chief."
55
00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:28,680
She said, "You need help."
56
00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,680
I said, "Yes, I do."
57
00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,040
And she said,
"I live with a guy
58
00:06:33,040 --> 00:06:36,480
who can give you all
the marijuana you want."
59
00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:40,400
And I said, "Let's go!"
60
00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:42,280
We went over to meet him,
and he said,
61
00:06:42,280 --> 00:06:44,440
"How are you gonna get it
out of here?"
62
00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:46,680
And I said, "Fly it."
63
00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:48,840
He said, "Do you have a plane?"
64
00:06:48,840 --> 00:06:50,840
And I lied and I said,
"Yes, I do."
65
00:06:50,840 --> 00:06:54,040
I said, "I can get one
and I'll be back with it."
66
00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:58,400
So then it was time
to learn how to fly.
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00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:10,880
♪ ♪
68
00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,400
I did this trip in
a certain amount of time,
69
00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,120
and I was making a ton of money.
70
00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:22,120
But they finally
caught up with me.
71
00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,200
I was looking at five years
in the federal system.
72
00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:35,440
The judge was about
to sentence me,
73
00:07:35,440 --> 00:07:37,320
and I got up and I said,
74
00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,360
"It's ludicrous that
I should be sentenced
75
00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:43,840
for taking a plant
across an imaginary line."
76
00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:45,200
(laughs)
77
00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:47,680
And he said,
"That may be true, Mr. Jung,"
78
00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:53,280
he said, "Unfortunately
it's against the law."
79
00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:55,120
And so I got the five years.
80
00:07:55,120 --> 00:08:01,800
♪ ♪
81
00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:08,760
(thunder)
82
00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:18,040
♪ ♪
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00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:19,440
MICHAEL CORLEONE BLANCO:
My mother grew up
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00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:20,960
in this part of town,
85
00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:23,600
which was the only place that
you could actually smoke reefer,
86
00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:25,800
you know, have a couple drinks,
87
00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:29,320
bet a little on numbers,
watch rooster fights,
88
00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:33,600
and maybe go and have
a good time with a prostitute.
89
00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:36,400
I'm talking about 1950s.
90
00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:40,200
There was still muddy streets,
horse‐drawn carriages.
91
00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:43,320
My name is
Michael Corleone Blanco.
92
00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:46,440
I'm the youngest surviving son
of one Griselda Blanco.
93
00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:54,080
Also known as
the Queen of Cocaine.
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00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:56,120
She told me that she
remembered being so poor,
95
00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,400
she didn't have
no shoes or sandals.
96
00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:01,280
And my mother said to herself,
the day I have children
97
00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,920
I'm gonna make sure they live
in the lap of luxury.
98
00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:06,680
The neighborhood was divided
99
00:09:06,680 --> 00:09:08,960
between these two
local street gangs,
100
00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:11,280
and she started to date a kid
101
00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:15,640
from the other part of
the neighborhood, Pestañitas.
102
00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:20,000
Pestañitas ran bootlegging,
he ran a couple prostitutes,
103
00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:24,440
sold some weed,
and he met this little girl.
104
00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:29,400
She was 14 when
she fell in love with him.
105
00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,960
They got married, and
he introduced her to marijuana.
106
00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,400
They'd been drug dealing
together, right.
107
00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:45,440
They were getting money,
but Pestañitas told my mother,
108
00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:47,080
"We're making peanuts here.
109
00:09:47,080 --> 00:09:50,040
If we can get this weed
to New York,
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00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,520
we could make
a big load of money."
111
00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:54,640
(horns honking)
112
00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:57,880
(siren)
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00:09:57,880 --> 00:09:59,520
So they relocate to New York,
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00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,840
and they start doing deals
in New York.
115
00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:05,840
When they start
making serious money,
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00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,320
my mother goes back to Colombia
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00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:11,400
and she meets a gentleman
who was a club owner,
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00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:13,040
and the gentleman tells her,
119
00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,840
"You might wanna think about
this drug called cocaine."
120
00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:19,840
REPORTER:
This is Jackson Heights
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00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:21,160
in the borough of Queens.
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00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:22,800
It's one of the places
where cocaine
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00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:27,320
comes home
to the United States.
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00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,680
MAN: This has become
the central distribution point
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00:10:30,680 --> 00:10:32,320
for the majority
of all the cocaine
126
00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:35,640
distributed in
the northern United States.
127
00:10:35,640 --> 00:10:37,280
If you just stand here
and watch these people,
128
00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:39,760
that's exactly what
they're doing right now,
129
00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,320
is they're doing business.
130
00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:45,600
BLANCO: In the early '70s,
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00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:48,600
Griselda becomes
the queen of Queens,
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00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:50,160
Queens, New York.
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00:10:53,680 --> 00:10:57,680
She's selling cocaine.
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00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:00,400
My mother realizes
that this is the future.
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00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,800
♪ ♪
136
00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:09,880
(sniffing)
137
00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:11,560
BOB PALOMBO: Cocaine was
on the rise,
138
00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:13,880
the demand was starting
to increase.
139
00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:21,960
At JFK Airport, the seizures
were from a pound or so,
140
00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:23,840
or two pounds on the body,
141
00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:27,360
to two or three kilos
in the suitcases.
142
00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,280
We were starting
to see other methods,
143
00:11:31,280 --> 00:11:34,040
anything that could
conceal cocaine,
144
00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:38,360
was starting to make its way in
more frequently.
145
00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,160
And Griselda Blanco's
fingerprint was on that.
146
00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:53,280
♪ ♪
147
00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,600
JUNG: I was sentenced to Danbury
Federal Correctional Institute,
148
00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:03,680
and that was how I met
the infamous Carlos Lehder.
149
00:12:03,680 --> 00:12:06,360
Carlos was there
for stealing cars
150
00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:09,720
and shipping them
illegally to Colombia.
151
00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:11,800
I said, "Well, basically
you're a car thief."
152
00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:13,640
And he said, "What about you?"
153
00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:19,280
And I said, "I flew planeloads
of pot out of Mexico."
154
00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:21,200
He said, "Do you know
anything about cocaine?"
155
00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:22,680
I didn't.
156
00:12:22,680 --> 00:12:24,120
He said, "You can buy it
157
00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:27,480
for $3,000 to $4,000 a kilo
in Colombia."
158
00:12:27,480 --> 00:12:29,240
And I said, "Well, how much
does it sell for
159
00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:30,200
in the United States?"
160
00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:34,280
And he said, "$60,000 a kilo."
161
00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:37,040
And I said,
"You know what, Carlos?
162
00:12:37,040 --> 00:12:40,160
I think you and I are gonna
go into business together."
163
00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:44,760
♪ ♪
164
00:12:48,560 --> 00:13:02,320
♪ ♪
165
00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:04,840
BLANCO: Griselda entrepreneured
the cocaine industry
166
00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:06,120
as we know it.
167
00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:07,680
From the jungle,
to the street corner,
168
00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:10,280
to the nightclub,
to your household.
169
00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:12,400
My mother did that.
170
00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:22,240
♪ ♪
171
00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:23,720
Where's the first place
people are gonna buy drugs at?
172
00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:25,560
On the corner.
173
00:13:25,560 --> 00:13:28,320
What's the second place people
are gonna do and sell drugs at?
174
00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:29,920
The disco.
175
00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:33,200
It's the epitome and
the era of disco music.
176
00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:40,480
♪ ♪
177
00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:42,520
REPORTER: It's 3:00
in the morning in Manhattan,
178
00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:44,880
and still at Studio 54,
179
00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:48,080
people crowd the doors
hoping to get in.
180
00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:49,760
BLANCO: My mother
liked to rub elbows
181
00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:51,680
with the elite of the time.
182
00:13:51,680 --> 00:13:54,840
REPORTER: Society columnists
adore Studio 54,
183
00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:58,080
for the personalities
it attracts.
184
00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,760
BLANCO: Studio 54,
she practically owned the joint.
185
00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:07,040
JUNG: Studio 54 was
lined up for blocks.
186
00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:10,120
Everybody's snorting
cocaine in there.
187
00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:18,240
It was Saturday Night Fever
with señorita cocaine.
188
00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,000
♪ Here comes paradise ♪
189
00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:22,240
♪ Mmm ♪
190
00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:25,280
It took over America
for the rich and famous.
191
00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:26,240
♪ Nice ♪
192
00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,320
(sirens)
193
00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:30,920
REPORTER: The number of people
snorting cocaine
194
00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,600
is rising steadily,
despite the steep price.
195
00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,440
About $100 for a gram,
196
00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:38,080
enough for several people
to get high at one party.
197
00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:48,200
♪ ♪
198
00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:49,840
REPORTER: Cocaine paraphernalia
is selling well
199
00:14:49,840 --> 00:14:51,560
right on Madison Avenue.
200
00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:53,320
REPORTER: Who is buying this?
201
00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:55,240
MAN: Everyone.
202
00:14:55,240 --> 00:15:00,280
From the secretary, lawyers,
businessmen, old and young.
203
00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,000
We have customers in
the entertainment business,
204
00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,360
but most of them are executives.
205
00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:11,160
♪ ♪
206
00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:13,720
PETER BOURNE: Well, it's not
a serious problem nationwide,
207
00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:17,680
given the very large number
of people who use cocaine.
208
00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:21,720
It is a serious problem
for a certain small minority,
209
00:15:21,720 --> 00:15:24,280
and those tend to be people
who are very wealthy,
210
00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:26,840
for whom money is no concern,
211
00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:30,160
who can get unlimited
access to cocaine.
212
00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:34,080
(sirens)
213
00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:36,040
PALOMBO: Cocaine, at that point,
214
00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:38,920
really wasn't in
law enforcement's radar.
215
00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:42,160
And so there was a gap
in the intelligence
216
00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:44,040
that was being developed,
217
00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:49,440
and this gave the Colombians
an opportunity to establish
218
00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:53,320
a greater foothold for smuggling
the drugs into the country
219
00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:56,680
and distributing the drugs
without being caught.
220
00:15:56,680 --> 00:16:07,880
♪ ♪
221
00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:10,880
BLANCO: My mother makes
a fortune in New York City
222
00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:14,040
and moves back to Colombia.
223
00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:21,920
And her and El Capitán see that
their empire's grown so much
224
00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:25,680
that they need henchmen,
they need soldiers.
225
00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:27,040
And everybody knew
226
00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,200
that if you wanted to get
into the cocaine business,
227
00:16:29,200 --> 00:16:31,640
you had to get the green light
from Griselda.
228
00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:45,560
♪ ♪
229
00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:49,440
Pablo Escobar's boss was
one of those smugglers.
230
00:16:49,440 --> 00:16:52,600
My mother didn't like him
too much, so Pablo killed him.
231
00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,800
And my mother said, "Pablo,
you've got a future, kid."
232
00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:08,320
♪ ♪
233
00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:09,600
PALOMBO: It wasn't until later
234
00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:12,000
that I realized
what a role she played,
235
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:14,240
not only in
the cocaine business,
236
00:17:14,240 --> 00:17:16,760
but also in the business
of violence.
237
00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:21,720
She was psychopath.
238
00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:25,520
She loved killing people.
239
00:17:25,520 --> 00:17:29,600
(camera shutter clicking)
240
00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:38,760
JUNG: In the beginning,
I really liked him,
241
00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:41,480
he was young and well‐mannered
and educated.
242
00:17:41,480 --> 00:17:46,040
He had an innocence
about him, also.
243
00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:47,360
MÓNICA LEHDER:
I would describe my father
244
00:17:47,360 --> 00:17:50,400
as a rebel, adventurous man.
245
00:17:50,400 --> 00:17:53,800
He was a chilled person,
he loved his music,
246
00:17:53,800 --> 00:17:56,200
he loved to be around friends,
247
00:17:56,200 --> 00:18:00,360
peaceful, sometimes
introverted, too.
248
00:18:00,360 --> 00:18:03,000
JUNG: I figured a great guy
to meet and to work with,
249
00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:05,320
and we can make
a lot of money together.
250
00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:13,360
♪ ♪
251
00:18:13,360 --> 00:18:15,960
And the next thing I knew, we
were on our way down to Colombia
252
00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,960
to meet a guy
named Pablo Escobar.
253
00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:24,200
A lot of people asked me
was I in awe or whatever.
254
00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,240
I mean, he could have been
a vacuum cleaner salesman;
255
00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:28,560
I didn't know
who the hell he was.
256
00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:35,400
♪ ♪
257
00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:36,480
(engine revving)
258
00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:41,080
We talked and he said,
"I have one rule:
259
00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:45,720
You betray me and
I'll have to kill you."
260
00:18:45,720 --> 00:18:48,520
And I said, "Well, you'll never
get to kill me,
261
00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:50,560
'cause I'll never betray you."
262
00:18:50,560 --> 00:18:53,880
I mean, it's a simple rule,
right? (laughs)
263
00:18:53,880 --> 00:18:55,600
You know, people walking
around the ranch
264
00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:58,640
all with machine guns
and this and that.
265
00:18:58,640 --> 00:19:00,400
That wasn't my trip.
266
00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:05,200
I mean, I just wanted to get in
and get the hell out of there.
267
00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:07,320
(engine starts)
268
00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:17,520
♪ ♪
269
00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:19,240
(cha‐ching)
270
00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,120
JEREMY McDERMOTT:
Pablo Escobar industrializes
271
00:19:25,120 --> 00:19:27,080
the cocaine trade.
272
00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:31,320
He gathers a big group
of different traffickers
273
00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:35,120
based in the city of Medellín.
274
00:19:35,120 --> 00:19:39,240
And they begin to pool their
shipments and work together.
275
00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:41,720
And then Carlos Lehder brings
276
00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:46,440
the mass transport element
via planes.
277
00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:49,680
He provides the air bridge.
278
00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:50,760
Then there's the retailers,
279
00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:52,640
the Griselda Blancos,
280
00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:55,200
others in the U. S.,
281
00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:57,560
they are running
the distributions networks,
282
00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:01,080
and then funneling back
the money to the cartel.
283
00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:07,960
♪ ♪
284
00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:21,040
TOM CASH: Carlos Lehder is to
the cocaine smuggling business,
285
00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,240
what the Wright brothers
were to aviation.
286
00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:30,240
ANDY: When I first met Carlos,
287
00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:33,120
it was simply to purchase
some airplanes for him.
288
00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:39,800
I never used my real name;
I went by an alias.
289
00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:40,840
He got a hold of me and said,
290
00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:42,880
"Hey, I got this place
in the Bahamas.
291
00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:43,920
That's where we're gonna
operate out of,
292
00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:45,160
and I need some airplanes."
293
00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:46,560
So I picked up a couple
airplanes for him
294
00:20:46,560 --> 00:20:48,240
and flew them to Bahamas.
295
00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:54,920
And Carlos said, "Hey, you want
to fly down to Colombia,
296
00:20:54,920 --> 00:20:57,600
fill 'em up and bring 'em
back to the islands,
297
00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:58,960
and make a little extra money?"
298
00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:01,400
And so I said, "Yeah, okay."
299
00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:03,280
Carlos was very convincing.
300
00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,040
You know, the smile on his face
and how great it is.
301
00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:07,200
So, consequently,
302
00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:09,120
you kind of insidiously
get involved in this.
303
00:21:09,120 --> 00:21:11,760
I mean, I had no desire
to be a criminal,
304
00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:14,040
I had no desire to go to jail.
305
00:21:17,360 --> 00:21:18,480
REPORTER: One of the most
favored routes
306
00:21:18,480 --> 00:21:21,520
from Colombia to Miami
is via the Bahamas,
307
00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:23,920
famous for its beaches, casinos,
308
00:21:23,920 --> 00:21:25,400
and hundreds of thinly inhabited
309
00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:26,880
cays or islands
310
00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:29,080
that have been used for
smuggling for centuries.
311
00:21:33,160 --> 00:21:35,160
ANDY: The flying was
not nearly as dangerous
312
00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:37,960
as hanging out there
overnight in Colombia.
313
00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,200
These little strips were out
in the middle of nowhere.
314
00:21:41,200 --> 00:21:44,280
I remember sleeping in a hammock
with a .38 on my chest,
315
00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:46,880
because there were some people
that would come in
316
00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:51,200
with automatic weapons
and steal the product.
317
00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:54,120
If you messed up,
you weren't getting out.
318
00:21:54,120 --> 00:21:56,560
If you, as others did,
crash an airplane
319
00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:58,920
at some of these clandestine
strips in Colombia,
320
00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:03,720
and you were injured, the narcos
buried you with the airplane.
321
00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:05,920
They didn't take you
to hospital.
322
00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:07,400
So there was a great incentive
323
00:22:07,400 --> 00:22:10,480
to successfully land
and take off.
324
00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:15,800
JUNG: There's an old saying
that the marijuana business
325
00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:17,680
was done with a handshake,
326
00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:20,560
and the cocaine business
was done with a gun.
327
00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:24,120
I mean, people walking
around with guns,
328
00:22:24,120 --> 00:22:27,240
and everybody had one.
329
00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:31,440
It was very serious,
and mistakes weren't tolerated.
330
00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:38,560
♪ ♪
331
00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:43,520
(boat approaching)
332
00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:44,480
REPORTER:
In the drugs business,
333
00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:46,800
all roads lead
to Miami, Florida,
334
00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:49,840
America's biggest banking center
outside New York.
335
00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:51,880
REPORTER: Cocaine dealers
regularly pay cash
336
00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:55,880
for a $50,000 car,
a $100,000 yacht,
337
00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,000
or a $1 million condominium.
338
00:22:58,000 --> 00:22:59,560
AL SINGLETON:
One of the side‐effects
339
00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,240
of the cocaine trade was the
impact it had on the economy,
340
00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:06,160
and the amount of cash
that was free‐flowing.
341
00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:14,520
♪ ♪
342
00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:17,400
JIM SHEDD: The money
that was coming into Miami
343
00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:21,240
was just incredible.
344
00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,120
I remember we would have to go
to the Federal Reserve Bank,
345
00:23:24,120 --> 00:23:28,280
and there were just pallets and
pallets and pallets of cash.
346
00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:36,840
Many times the Federal Reserve
Bank of Miami
347
00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:41,400
had more cash than all the other
Federal Reserve Banks
348
00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:42,320
put together.
349
00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:48,360
(plane approaching)
350
00:23:48,360 --> 00:23:58,240
♪ ♪
351
00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:00,160
SINGLETON:
He purchased Norman's Cay
352
00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:02,840
for what I was told at the time
was $2 million,
353
00:24:02,840 --> 00:24:05,520
so Carlos had actually
purchased the island.
354
00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:08,600
JUNG: And he wanted to build
like an empire there,
355
00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:10,800
drug smuggling empire.
356
00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:11,960
REPORTER:
Using a front company,
357
00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:14,200
he acquired most of the property
on the island,
358
00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:16,920
and turned it into
a drug transshipment port.
359
00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,000
JUNG: It was full of naked women
360
00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,760
and parties and
cocaine everywhere.
361
00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:26,240
Armed bodyguards walking
around the perimeters
362
00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:30,200
with machine guns,
which he imported from Germany.
363
00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:37,200
ANDY: Norman's Cay was
approximately 200‐plus miles
364
00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:40,160
from the east coast of Florida.
365
00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:42,920
So it was a very easy trip
for a light airplane,
366
00:24:42,920 --> 00:24:45,160
which would draw
no suspicion whatsoever,
367
00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:47,640
because a light airplane
didn't have the range
368
00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:50,840
to go anywhere where this
merchandise was picked up.
369
00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:57,520
JUNG: In the beginning
it was all fine.
370
00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:02,040
Then Carlos changed drastically,
he did like a 180.
371
00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:04,320
And I told him,
I said, "This is crazy.
372
00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:06,400
The only way to do this
is to keep on the move
373
00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,240
and keep changing locations,
where nobody knows who you are,
374
00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:12,160
or what you are,
and you keep moving."
375
00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:13,680
And I said,
"Everybody in the world's
376
00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:15,680
gonna be watching that island."
377
00:25:15,680 --> 00:25:17,200
And they were.
378
00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:19,120
It was a madness.
379
00:25:19,120 --> 00:25:23,480
And that's when I decided
it was time to go.
380
00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:40,920
♪ ♪
381
00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,320
Anybody who thinks
they're a drug lord,
382
00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:47,000
they're living some kind
of foolish, childish dream.
383
00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:50,680
Once you get on the list,
it's over.
384
00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:03,680
(wings flapping)
385
00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:19,480
♪ ♪
386
00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,080
(gunshot)
387
00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:28,680
♪ ♪
388
00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:30,360
(man speaking Spanish)
389
00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:40,720
(gunshot)
390
00:26:46,040 --> 00:27:05,200
♪ ♪
391
00:27:17,360 --> 00:27:19,160
BLANCO: The first
sicario motorcycle hit,
392
00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:21,120
it was done by
Griselda's killers,
393
00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:24,720
and they weren't young
15‐year‐old, 16‐year‐old boys;
394
00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:26,600
they were grown bandidos.
395
00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:27,560
It was a different time.
396
00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:29,080
My mother never
believed that a boy
397
00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,480
should get involved
in men's stuff.
398
00:27:31,480 --> 00:28:00,720
♪ ♪
399
00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:02,600
Griselda comes to Miami.
400
00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:06,720
You have an industry that was
trying to be established
401
00:28:06,720 --> 00:28:08,800
by other Latinos.
402
00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:12,560
But now this corporate entity
came into town and said,
403
00:28:12,560 --> 00:28:14,520
"No, no, no, this is my town,
404
00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:18,840
I don't care what you guys
think, I run all the cocaine."
405
00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:20,800
My mother always told me,
"You know what's the best way
406
00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:22,720
to take care
of your competition?
407
00:28:22,720 --> 00:28:24,960
Erase your competition.
408
00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:27,280
Then you have nobody
to compete with."
409
00:28:27,280 --> 00:28:29,040
(siren)
410
00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,000
INVESTIGATOR: Right now
two people are dead,
411
00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:33,120
and there are others injured.
412
00:28:33,120 --> 00:28:34,640
I don't know the exact amount.
413
00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:36,440
REPORTER: Police say they
don't know what the motive was
414
00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:41,440
for the shootings, but they are
sure it wasn't robbery.
415
00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:43,800
SINGLETON: The shooting occurred
in the middle of the day,
416
00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:47,160
in a very popular shopping mall
called Dadeland.
417
00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:48,520
REPORTER:
Inside the liquor store,
418
00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:51,600
one Colombian national
and another non‐Cuban Latin
419
00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:55,880
suspected of drug trafficking
lay face up in a pool of blood.
420
00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:57,360
INVESTIGATOR: They were
well armed, we can say that,
421
00:28:57,360 --> 00:29:00,280
and they came prepared
to do battle.
422
00:29:00,280 --> 00:29:03,960
SINGLETON: The subjects went
inside with automatic weapons,
423
00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:06,600
killed the intended target
and his bodyguard
424
00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:08,080
inside the liquor store.
425
00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:09,240
REPORTER: The shooting
continued outside,
426
00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:10,840
as the assailants
sprayed gunfire
427
00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:12,440
all around the parking lot.
428
00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:16,040
Shell fragments were found
some 40 yards from the store.
429
00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:17,560
SINGLETON: They'd fired
automatic weapons
430
00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:19,600
into the sidewalk area,
431
00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:24,360
wounding two other
totally innocent bystanders.
432
00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,920
Witnesses were just
beside themselves.
433
00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:28,320
They couldn't believe the fact
434
00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,240
that they were minding
their own business, shopping,
435
00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,080
in a suburban shopping mall,
436
00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:37,480
and ended up being shot at
with machine guns.
437
00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:38,720
It was totally unprecedented,
438
00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:40,760
no one had ever seen
anything like this before
439
00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:42,560
on any homicide scene.
440
00:29:45,040 --> 00:29:47,960
PALOMBO: This was the handiwork
of Griselda Blanco.
441
00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:55,360
She loved to make
that statement,
442
00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,520
and the bloody trail continued
from that point on.
443
00:30:01,160 --> 00:30:03,160
BLANCO: That day, 1979, I think
444
00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:07,840
Miami and the United States
understood that cocaine
445
00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:11,880
would generate so much violence
and so much financial gain,
446
00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:15,240
that people were willing to kill
people in broad daylight,
447
00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:17,400
innocent or not innocent.
448
00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:19,080
WOMAN: No! No!
449
00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:23,960
REPORTER: Last week, the bodies
of two Colombians were found.
450
00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:24,840
REPORTER: The majority
of murders here
451
00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:26,520
are related to drug trafficking.
452
00:30:26,520 --> 00:30:28,520
REPORTER: Colombian drug dealers
have opened fire
453
00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:31,200
in crowded shopping centers,
along busy highways,
454
00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:33,960
in quiet residential
neighborhoods.
455
00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:35,320
REPORTER: This Colombian
was machine‐gunned
456
00:30:35,320 --> 00:30:37,120
as he sat in his car.
457
00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:39,040
IKE SEAMANS: 514 persons
have been murdered
458
00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:41,360
in Miami this year.
459
00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:42,800
LLOYD HOUGH: There's no end
to the selection of weapons
460
00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:44,360
that they have here.
461
00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:49,480
They're a lot better armed
than law enforcement.
462
00:30:49,480 --> 00:30:52,360
SINGLETON: We became known
as Dodge City.
463
00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:55,760
JOSEPH DAVIS: What I see going
on here would make Chicago
464
00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:56,960
in the days of Prohibition
465
00:30:56,960 --> 00:30:59,600
look like a Baptist
Sunday school picnic.
466
00:30:59,600 --> 00:31:02,120
(train horn blows)
467
00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:03,080
SINGLETON:
The homicide rate doubled
468
00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:05,680
from 300 a year to 600 a year.
469
00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:08,000
We were all overwhelmed.
470
00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:10,160
Not the least of which was
the medical examiner's office
471
00:31:10,160 --> 00:31:15,200
which had to use a refrigerated
truck to store bodies.
472
00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:18,240
PALOMBO: The primary target
of Metro‐Dade Homicide
473
00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:22,000
was Griselda Blanco.
474
00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:24,200
She not only wanted
the person shot,
475
00:31:24,200 --> 00:31:28,480
but she wanted the person's wife
and even the children shot.
476
00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:33,520
She was a monster.
477
00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:52,280
♪ ♪
478
00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:55,160
(man speaking Spanish)
479
00:31:55,160 --> 00:31:57,160
ANDY: Initially, he'd try
a little bit of the product
480
00:31:57,160 --> 00:31:58,840
occasionally,
but it got to the point
481
00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:00,840
where he was, I believe,
addicted to it,
482
00:32:00,840 --> 00:32:03,560
and I think that really
distorted his perception
483
00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:08,280
of what the operation was, and
he became a different person.
484
00:32:08,280 --> 00:32:10,600
He was very paranoid,
he ran around with a .45,
485
00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:12,000
waving it around,
486
00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:14,360
and you never knew what the hell
he was gonna do.
487
00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:18,680
He just had this attitude
that he was the king.
488
00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:21,880
That's when I decided that
this could get dangerous.
489
00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:26,680
Maybe it's time to say sayonara
to this activity.
490
00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:27,920
REPORTER: Colombian
drug baron Carlos Lehder
491
00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:29,160
had armed guards
492
00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:32,320
to prevent outsiders
landing by boat or plane.
493
00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:35,840
For yachtsmen, this island
had a menacing reputation.
494
00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:37,960
ANDY: Some time after I left,
495
00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:41,000
one of the most famous
news anchors in North America,
496
00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:46,000
Walter Cronkite, sailed into
the harbor at Norman's Cay
497
00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:47,720
and was met by
a couple of fellas
498
00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:50,120
that were sporting AR‐15s.
499
00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:52,000
And when he asked
what the deal was,
500
00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:53,840
they told him that he wasn't
welcome on the island,
501
00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:55,400
and he should just
get in his little boat
502
00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:59,040
and sail on out of the harbor.
503
00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:01,800
Cronkite wasn't gonna
be put off like that,
504
00:33:01,800 --> 00:33:04,720
so he opened up his own
little investigation,
505
00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:06,080
and one thing led to another.
506
00:33:06,080 --> 00:33:07,960
And eventually
the Bahamian police
507
00:33:07,960 --> 00:33:09,480
were convinced
by the U. S. authorities,
508
00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:11,040
DEA and what have you,
509
00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:14,000
that you need to do something
about this island down there.
510
00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:28,920
♪ ♪
511
00:33:28,920 --> 00:33:33,080
JUNG: Carlos became a Freudian
kaleidoscope of madness,
512
00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:34,960
because on one end
of the spectrum,
513
00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:39,000
he loved John Lennon,
514
00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:41,880
and he loved Adolf Hitler!
515
00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:44,400
And that was
mind‐boggling to me.
516
00:33:44,400 --> 00:34:01,400
♪ ♪
517
00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:05,320
LEHDER: It was on the news,
on the radio, on the streets.
518
00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:10,520
We had the army coming to
our house almost every day,
519
00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:11,840
looking for him.
520
00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:23,240
♪ ♪
521
00:34:23,240 --> 00:34:27,240
PALOMBO: As she began to create
more and more enemies,
522
00:34:27,240 --> 00:34:31,520
she wasn't able to really enjoy
the fruits of her endeavors
523
00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:34,000
because she was on the run.
524
00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:35,440
BLANCO:
I would always wonder why
525
00:34:35,440 --> 00:34:39,040
we had so many people with me.
526
00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:40,960
And my brother would tell me,
"You know why?" "Why?"
527
00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:43,120
"'Cause you're the prince
of this family,
528
00:34:43,120 --> 00:34:45,440
and nothing's gonna
happen to you."
529
00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:57,240
♪ ♪
530
00:34:57,240 --> 00:34:59,520
PALOMBO: Her husband,
Darío Sepúlveda,
531
00:34:59,520 --> 00:35:02,880
is growing weary of her,
he's disgusted with her.
532
00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:05,160
Talk about the pot calling
the kettle black, right?
533
00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:09,520
He's an assassin himself, and
even she was too much for him.
534
00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:15,120
He's worried about
the well‐being of his son,
535
00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:19,760
Michael Corleone, and he takes
Michael and goes to Colombia.
536
00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:22,240
Well, Griselda wasn't
having any of that.
537
00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:29,320
And a short time later,
she pays off police in Colombia.
538
00:35:29,320 --> 00:35:33,040
Darío's driving down the road
with little Michael in the car.
539
00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:35,360
(bell tolls)
540
00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:37,040
BLANCO: And after
a couple minutes,
541
00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:41,440
four cops, two motorcycles
pull us over.
542
00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:42,680
And he handcuffs my father,
and my father goes,
543
00:35:42,680 --> 00:35:43,920
"What are you doing?"
544
00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:46,120
And my father looks
at his bodyguard,
545
00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:48,800
and I think right then and there
they realized it.
546
00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,760
And I look at my daddy,
547
00:35:55,760 --> 00:35:58,760
and I said, "Papi, papi!"
548
00:35:58,760 --> 00:36:02,520
My dad was hit by 27 bullets.
549
00:36:02,520 --> 00:36:05,280
I saw the holes on his back.
550
00:36:05,280 --> 00:36:09,680
And there was all blood
coming out of 'em.
551
00:36:09,680 --> 00:36:12,280
I was about to be six years old.
552
00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:17,280
PALOMBO: Griselda Blanco ordered
the hit on her husband,
553
00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:20,120
and there's no doubt in my mind
that she didn't care
554
00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:23,760
whether her son saw
the assassination or not.
555
00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:31,680
♪ ♪
556
00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:36,040
All he knew was that he was
whisked up, put on a plane,
557
00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:39,480
and delivered to his mother
in Irvine, California.
558
00:36:39,480 --> 00:36:43,440
And shortly thereafter
is when we arrest her.
559
00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:46,840
♪ ♪
560
00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:49,920
She was just propped up in bed
reading the Bible.
561
00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:52,000
She didn't have
the .38 in her hand;
562
00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:53,960
that was on her nightstand.
563
00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:56,240
I said, "Hola, Griselda."
564
00:36:56,240 --> 00:36:58,960
She looked at me with
a very bewildered look.
565
00:36:58,960 --> 00:37:01,800
"No. Me llamo Betty."
566
00:37:01,800 --> 00:37:04,120
I said, "Nah, I don't think so."
567
00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:08,440
And I put the cuffs on her,
away we went.
568
00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:11,520
The maid had taken
little Michael down the street
569
00:37:11,520 --> 00:37:12,560
to go play at a park.
570
00:37:12,560 --> 00:37:14,080
We didn't want him in the house,
571
00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:17,360
you know, it was gonna be
too traumatic.
572
00:37:17,360 --> 00:37:20,560
He was as cute as a button,
playing at a playground,
573
00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:22,600
just a nice kid.
574
00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:25,480
And it was so sad, and I
remember commenting to my wife,
575
00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:29,320
I said, "You know, I really
feel sorry for this child.
576
00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:34,200
I wouldn't mind taking this kid
and adopting him myself."
577
00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:57,680
♪ ♪
578
00:37:57,680 --> 00:37:59,680
SEBASTIÁN MARROQUÍN:
I only had the opportunity
579
00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:03,320
to meet Carlos Lehder
for one or two weeks
580
00:38:03,320 --> 00:38:05,600
in the Hacienda Nápoles.
581
00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:08,000
They became very close friends;
582
00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:11,920
they were both
against the extradition.
583
00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:13,400
LEHDER: They were very close,
584
00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:17,040
but they always kept their
families away from everything.
585
00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:22,240
MARROQUÍN: Sadly Carlos Lehder
lose all of his money and power,
586
00:38:22,240 --> 00:38:25,280
and he was consuming
a lot of drugs.
587
00:38:27,960 --> 00:38:29,240
REPORTER: Colombian
law enforcement officers
588
00:38:29,240 --> 00:38:31,720
have not said exactly
how police were led
589
00:38:31,720 --> 00:38:33,360
to Lehder's house in Medellín,
590
00:38:33,360 --> 00:38:36,000
but that Lehder was set up
by one of his alleged partners
591
00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:41,160
in the cocaine cartel,
Pablo Escobar.
592
00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:44,440
McDERMOTT: The story is that
there was a big party
593
00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:49,720
at Pablo Escobar's hacienda, and
Carlos Lehder arrived coked up.
594
00:38:49,720 --> 00:38:54,000
And one of Escobar's sicarios
makes a pass
595
00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:57,840
at one of the girls he was with,
and Lehder just kills him.
596
00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:04,920
And so Escobar has
to smooth all this over.
597
00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:06,720
But elements of
the Medellín Cartel
598
00:39:06,720 --> 00:39:11,440
then see Carlos Lehder
as a liability.
599
00:39:11,440 --> 00:39:13,720
STEVEN COHEN: Escobar sees
the need to appease
600
00:39:13,720 --> 00:39:17,320
U.S. and Colombian officials who
are applying increasing pressure
601
00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:19,000
on him and his organization.
602
00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:22,200
And Lehder gets offered up
as the sacrificial lamb,
603
00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:23,800
and essentially turned over
604
00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:27,120
by Escobar and
Medellín Cartel associates.
605
00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:33,960
LEHDER: I remember the day
of my father's arrest.
606
00:39:33,960 --> 00:39:35,680
I was with my mother,
607
00:39:35,680 --> 00:39:39,000
and I can still feel how
her face turned white,
608
00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:41,400
and the screams.
609
00:39:41,400 --> 00:39:45,520
♪ ♪
610
00:39:45,520 --> 00:39:48,000
(helicopter)
611
00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:55,760
REPORTER:
The plane from Colombia
612
00:39:55,760 --> 00:39:58,240
carrying reputed drug king
Carlos Lehder
613
00:39:58,240 --> 00:40:00,880
touched down in Florida
early this morning.
614
00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:03,920
Security was heavy;
gun‐toting federal agents
615
00:40:03,920 --> 00:40:06,920
circled the courthouse in Tampa
where he was taken.
616
00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:09,400
Justice Department officials
describe Lehder
617
00:40:09,400 --> 00:40:12,520
as one of the most violent
drug dealers ever captured.
618
00:40:12,520 --> 00:40:19,560
♪ ♪
619
00:40:19,560 --> 00:40:24,120
JUNG: I was looking at more than
20 years in prison, straight up.
620
00:40:24,120 --> 00:40:27,600
The judge said, "When you were
young, you had $100 million."
621
00:40:27,600 --> 00:40:30,680
And he said,
"Nobody knew who you were.
622
00:40:30,680 --> 00:40:33,880
Why didn't you just take it
and go away?"
623
00:40:33,880 --> 00:40:39,040
And I had an answer, because I
had figured it out a while back,
624
00:40:39,040 --> 00:40:42,400
that it wasn't
the money anymore.
625
00:40:42,400 --> 00:40:44,800
My father knew what was
going on for years,
626
00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:46,360
and he said,
"You're a thrill junkie!"
627
00:40:46,360 --> 00:40:48,920
He said, "Why don't you
become a race car driver
628
00:40:48,920 --> 00:40:51,240
or something like that?"
629
00:40:51,240 --> 00:40:53,440
(chuckles)
630
00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:59,360
♪ ♪
631
00:40:59,360 --> 00:41:02,960
Escobar sent my wife
to visit me,
632
00:41:02,960 --> 00:41:07,040
and she said,
"He wants you to testify."
633
00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:08,600
And I said, "I won't."
634
00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:13,520
She had my daughter, who was,
I don't know, four years old,
635
00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:17,680
with her, and she looked
at me and she said,
636
00:41:17,680 --> 00:41:20,760
"This time he's not asking."
637
00:41:20,760 --> 00:41:26,520
♪ ♪
638
00:41:26,520 --> 00:41:30,040
LEHDER: I was six years old
when we needed to go hide,
639
00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:33,680
because Escobar
was looking for me.
640
00:41:33,680 --> 00:41:36,080
He knew the love that
my father had for me,
641
00:41:36,080 --> 00:41:38,320
and the perfect way
to silence him
642
00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:43,600
is to threaten his little girl
when his trial started.
643
00:41:43,600 --> 00:41:45,600
You can't even imagine
that it's possible,
644
00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:50,880
but they say that at war,
everything goes.
645
00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:56,720
♪ ♪
646
00:41:56,720 --> 00:41:58,120
REPORTER: It is one
of the biggest victories
647
00:41:58,120 --> 00:42:01,480
in U. S. history for drug agents
and federal prosecutors.
648
00:42:01,480 --> 00:42:02,480
Now that he's been convicted,
649
00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:04,440
Lehder faces
a life prison sentence,
650
00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:07,320
plus 150 years on top of that.
651
00:42:12,480 --> 00:42:17,200
LEHDER: They saw him
as a trophy, I say.
652
00:42:17,200 --> 00:42:19,440
He wrote his first letter,
653
00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:23,000
and he promised me that
he would be home by Christmas.
654
00:42:25,560 --> 00:42:29,560
And now it's been 33 Christmas
waiting for him.
655
00:42:29,560 --> 00:42:53,120
♪ ♪
656
00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:55,640
BLANCO: When you've done
so much bad in your life,
657
00:42:55,640 --> 00:42:57,320
that type of beef
never goes away.
658
00:42:57,320 --> 00:43:00,480
That type of generational
hatred, revenge,
659
00:43:00,480 --> 00:43:02,160
it don't go away.
660
00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:05,560
So after eight years
of my mother's release,
661
00:43:05,560 --> 00:43:07,360
she was killed.
662
00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:18,840
♪ ♪
663
00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:20,800
TOM BROKAW: You have some
exclusive details for us, Brian.
664
00:43:20,800 --> 00:43:22,880
BRIAN ROSS: Tom, Pablo Escobar
is, without a doubt,
665
00:43:22,880 --> 00:43:25,760
the most powerful and ruthless
of all the drug bosses.
666
00:43:25,760 --> 00:43:27,200
REPORTER: It's believed that his
cocaine empire
667
00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:29,960
has made Escobar one of
the world's richest men.
668
00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:31,880
REPORTER:
Worth estimated at $3 billion.
669
00:43:31,880 --> 00:43:34,760
REPORTER: Escobar's ranch is
a monument to his illegal trade.
670
00:43:34,760 --> 00:43:36,120
The plane over the gate
is the first
671
00:43:36,120 --> 00:43:38,120
he used to transport
illegal drugs.
672
00:43:38,120 --> 00:43:40,160
REPORTER: Those who would
challenge Pablo at his own game,
673
00:43:40,160 --> 00:43:42,680
learned he would do
anything to win.
674
00:43:42,680 --> 00:43:44,400
Cocaine bought
these 10,000 acres
675
00:43:44,400 --> 00:43:46,400
of mansions and guest houses.
676
00:43:46,400 --> 00:43:48,600
Quite a haul for a man
who began his career
677
00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:52,200
stealing gravestones and cars
and working as a golf caddy.
678
00:44:06,040 --> 00:44:07,920
Captioned by
Side Door Media Services