1 00:00:09,318 --> 00:00:11,387 He was called the Opium King 2 00:00:11,487 --> 00:00:12,922 the Prince of Death. 3 00:00:14,590 --> 00:00:16,092 Among all the drug lords 4 00:00:16,159 --> 00:00:18,628 in the Golden Triangle 5 00:00:18,728 --> 00:00:20,396 he was number one. 6 00:00:22,799 --> 00:00:25,068 What happens in these mountains 7 00:00:25,168 --> 00:00:27,470 has deadly tentacles that spread out 8 00:00:27,570 --> 00:00:29,005 to the rest of the world. 9 00:00:33,376 --> 00:00:34,377 He rained poison 10 00:00:34,444 --> 00:00:35,411 on the streets of New York. 11 00:00:37,046 --> 00:00:39,082 If you crossed Khun Sa 12 00:00:39,682 --> 00:00:40,683 there would be no question 13 00:00:40,750 --> 00:00:41,717 you would be killed. 14 00:00:42,685 --> 00:00:43,853 He was making 15 00:00:44,253 --> 00:00:45,721 hundreds of millions of dollars 16 00:00:45,788 --> 00:00:46,722 per year. 17 00:00:47,490 --> 00:00:49,692 Pablo Escobar and El Chapo 18 00:00:49,759 --> 00:00:51,360 may have had notoriety 19 00:00:51,794 --> 00:00:54,197 but Khun Sa pulled in more cash 20 00:00:54,297 --> 00:00:56,332 than they could ever have dreamed. 21 00:00:56,399 --> 00:00:58,401 Money that made Khun Sa 22 00:00:58,468 --> 00:01:00,336 the world's biggest drug trafficker. 23 00:02:04,767 --> 00:02:06,235 Heroine, one of the most 24 00:02:06,335 --> 00:02:07,403 dangerously addictive 25 00:02:07,470 --> 00:02:09,672 of the so-called hard drugs 26 00:02:09,772 --> 00:02:11,707 is a growing menace in America. 27 00:02:22,251 --> 00:02:25,054 Asian heroin entered the US market 28 00:02:25,121 --> 00:02:27,456 in the mid-to-late 60s. 29 00:02:27,523 --> 00:02:29,058 This is the suitcase 30 00:02:29,125 --> 00:02:30,359 one of the two suitcases 31 00:02:30,426 --> 00:02:31,561 used to smuggle the heroin 32 00:02:31,627 --> 00:02:32,795 into the United States. 33 00:02:32,895 --> 00:02:34,397 They sometimes referred to it 34 00:02:34,497 --> 00:02:35,498 as "China White". 35 00:02:35,565 --> 00:02:38,834 The smuggling piece of equipment here 36 00:02:38,935 --> 00:02:41,437 in that these shells are made 37 00:02:41,537 --> 00:02:42,838 for the outer side of the suitcase 38 00:02:42,905 --> 00:02:44,707 rather than for the inside. 39 00:02:45,208 --> 00:02:46,309 They were bringing in 40 00:02:46,409 --> 00:02:48,811 very large quantities of pure heroin 41 00:02:49,412 --> 00:02:51,914 that were supplying the Italians 42 00:02:52,014 --> 00:02:54,217 the Latin American groups 43 00:02:54,283 --> 00:02:56,352 the African American groups. 44 00:02:57,086 --> 00:02:58,721 They even had their own labels. 45 00:02:58,788 --> 00:03:00,656 Pure. Pure number four. 46 00:03:02,124 --> 00:03:05,695 This label called Double UOGlobe 47 00:03:05,761 --> 00:03:06,696 top quality. 48 00:03:08,731 --> 00:03:11,000 It was usually 95% pure. 49 00:03:11,067 --> 00:03:13,069 This enabled users to snort it. 50 00:03:13,402 --> 00:03:15,771 It took away the fear of the needle. 51 00:03:19,642 --> 00:03:21,110 It expanded the market. 52 00:03:22,612 --> 00:03:24,247 Businessmen were snorting heroin now 53 00:03:24,313 --> 00:03:25,314 as opposed to cocaine. 54 00:03:29,552 --> 00:03:30,987 It was like rocket fuel. 55 00:03:31,721 --> 00:03:32,788 People were OD-ing 56 00:03:32,888 --> 00:03:34,357 at a ridiculously high rate. 57 00:03:39,328 --> 00:03:41,130 I started the Asian heroin squad 58 00:03:41,197 --> 00:03:42,131 in New York. 59 00:03:47,570 --> 00:03:49,605 We had approximately 20 agents. 60 00:03:53,242 --> 00:03:55,611 The DEA is targeting traffickers 61 00:03:55,678 --> 00:03:57,146 that represent a direct threat 62 00:03:57,246 --> 00:03:58,247 to the United States. 63 00:04:00,650 --> 00:04:01,917 Let's see those hands! 64 00:04:04,854 --> 00:04:06,589 Most of our informants would tell us 65 00:04:06,689 --> 00:04:08,491 the heroin coming in to New York 66 00:04:08,557 --> 00:04:10,826 was coming from... 67 00:04:11,627 --> 00:04:12,762 the Golden Triangle. 68 00:04:13,195 --> 00:04:15,564 There was only one person that can... 69 00:04:15,631 --> 00:04:17,433 could ship that much heroin. 70 00:04:18,434 --> 00:04:19,935 An enemy's weapon 71 00:04:20,403 --> 00:04:23,172 can be turned on themselves. 72 00:04:24,807 --> 00:04:25,708 And that was Khun Sa. 73 00:04:26,609 --> 00:04:28,311 Oh, hit the target! 74 00:04:35,518 --> 00:04:36,952 Among all the drug lords 75 00:04:37,053 --> 00:04:39,522 in the Golden Triangle 76 00:04:39,588 --> 00:04:41,157 he was number one. 77 00:04:47,563 --> 00:04:49,665 He was called the Opium King 78 00:04:49,765 --> 00:04:51,367 the Prince of Death. 79 00:04:54,637 --> 00:04:56,405 Khun Sa is the most well-known. 80 00:04:58,574 --> 00:05:01,510 And the most notorious. 81 00:05:01,877 --> 00:05:04,480 The individual primarily responsible 82 00:05:04,547 --> 00:05:06,349 for this worldwide devastation 83 00:05:06,449 --> 00:05:08,651 of drug addiction is Khun Sa. 84 00:05:09,352 --> 00:05:10,753 He has delivered 85 00:05:10,853 --> 00:05:12,521 as much evil to this world 86 00:05:12,588 --> 00:05:14,590 as any mafia Don has ever done 87 00:05:14,690 --> 00:05:15,858 in our history. 88 00:05:18,494 --> 00:05:20,129 Khun Sa was considered 89 00:05:20,196 --> 00:05:21,597 public enemy number one. 90 00:05:22,164 --> 00:05:24,033 He's a crook, he's a liar 91 00:05:24,133 --> 00:05:25,534 and he's a killer. 92 00:05:25,601 --> 00:05:28,738 The DEA had a two million price tag 93 00:05:28,804 --> 00:05:30,306 on his head, dead or alive. 94 00:05:30,406 --> 00:05:31,407 You would dream about 95 00:05:31,474 --> 00:05:33,376 actually being able to arrest Khun Sa 96 00:05:35,010 --> 00:05:36,178 but it would never really believe 97 00:05:36,245 --> 00:05:37,313 that it would happen. 98 00:05:37,413 --> 00:05:38,414 You were in New York. 99 00:05:40,516 --> 00:05:42,118 He was in Burma. 100 00:05:49,558 --> 00:05:50,760 The Golden Triangle 101 00:05:50,826 --> 00:05:52,728 is an area of Southeast Asia... 102 00:05:54,430 --> 00:05:57,366 where three countries, Burma 103 00:05:57,833 --> 00:06:00,569 Thailand and Laos, come together. 104 00:06:03,439 --> 00:06:06,675 It's basically a narco-state. 105 00:06:07,877 --> 00:06:10,279 And the gold part of it is heroin. 106 00:06:18,721 --> 00:06:20,990 You have a number of ethnic groups 107 00:06:21,090 --> 00:06:22,758 that occupy the area. 108 00:06:29,165 --> 00:06:30,299 All of which 109 00:06:30,366 --> 00:06:32,435 are engaged at some level 110 00:06:32,535 --> 00:06:33,836 in narcotics trafficking. 111 00:06:40,075 --> 00:06:42,678 One of the more infamous groups 112 00:06:42,778 --> 00:06:45,247 was Khun Sa's militia group. 113 00:06:49,852 --> 00:06:51,187 At his most powerful 114 00:06:51,287 --> 00:06:54,690 he had a 25,000-manpower army. 115 00:07:03,599 --> 00:07:05,201 Do you hear, over? 116 00:07:10,906 --> 00:07:13,175 There were anti-aircraft batteries. 117 00:07:16,812 --> 00:07:18,614 Trenches laid 118 00:07:18,681 --> 00:07:21,917 with bamboo spikes coming out. 119 00:07:24,253 --> 00:07:25,788 All his men were armed 120 00:07:25,888 --> 00:07:29,391 with the very latest M-16 rifles. 121 00:07:31,193 --> 00:07:32,928 I think he felt quite 122 00:07:32,995 --> 00:07:35,097 safe and insulated up there 123 00:07:35,164 --> 00:07:38,601 in his mountain headquarters. 124 00:07:41,437 --> 00:07:43,839 His base was surrounded by mountains 125 00:07:43,906 --> 00:07:46,775 not easy to call in air strikes. 126 00:07:46,842 --> 00:07:48,444 It was also very difficult 127 00:07:48,511 --> 00:07:49,979 to send in ground forces. 128 00:07:50,045 --> 00:07:51,046 My bosses would come to me 129 00:07:51,113 --> 00:07:52,615 all the time and say 130 00:07:52,681 --> 00:07:53,682 "When are you gonna get this guy?" 131 00:07:59,855 --> 00:08:01,390 He was well aware 132 00:08:01,490 --> 00:08:03,392 that the DEA in particular 133 00:08:03,492 --> 00:08:04,994 wanted him dead. 134 00:08:06,362 --> 00:08:07,530 Khun Sa would never sleep 135 00:08:07,596 --> 00:08:10,099 in the same bed twice. 136 00:08:10,165 --> 00:08:12,535 He was constantly on the alert 137 00:08:12,601 --> 00:08:14,637 for assassination attempts. 138 00:08:15,404 --> 00:08:17,239 He had put a lot of money 139 00:08:17,306 --> 00:08:18,774 into making sure 140 00:08:18,841 --> 00:08:20,609 that the Americans weren't going to 141 00:08:20,676 --> 00:08:22,578 be able to get him easily. 142 00:08:41,630 --> 00:08:43,732 Khun Sa had never been interviewed 143 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:46,368 and so I went to Bangkok 144 00:08:46,435 --> 00:08:47,937 and spent about a week 145 00:08:48,003 --> 00:08:50,005 trying to find a way into his base 146 00:08:50,072 --> 00:08:51,240 on the Burma side 147 00:08:51,307 --> 00:08:53,108 of the Golden Triangle. 148 00:08:53,676 --> 00:08:55,077 I'm going to a lot of bars 149 00:08:55,177 --> 00:08:56,812 drinking with a lot of 150 00:08:57,212 --> 00:08:59,148 ex-American service men. 151 00:08:59,748 --> 00:09:01,250 A lot of people engaged 152 00:09:01,317 --> 00:09:03,986 in the drug smuggling trade 153 00:09:04,086 --> 00:09:05,354 and finally come across 154 00:09:05,454 --> 00:09:07,590 Khun Sa's representative. 155 00:09:07,690 --> 00:09:10,326 A little Chinese guy called Johnnie. 156 00:09:10,392 --> 00:09:13,529 He arranged for us to travel 157 00:09:14,296 --> 00:09:16,565 into the Shan State with protection. 158 00:09:21,437 --> 00:09:22,571 I was heading into 159 00:09:22,638 --> 00:09:24,306 Khun Sa's hideout. 160 00:09:26,775 --> 00:09:28,444 A place even the DEA 161 00:09:28,510 --> 00:09:30,245 had never been able to penetrate. 162 00:09:38,253 --> 00:09:40,289 We're passing mule trains 163 00:09:40,356 --> 00:09:42,291 that're coming the opposite direction 164 00:09:42,358 --> 00:09:43,726 going back into Thailand 165 00:09:43,792 --> 00:09:44,927 loaded with heroin. 166 00:09:45,794 --> 00:09:47,029 How many more hours to go? 167 00:09:49,898 --> 00:09:51,033 Seven more hours to go? 168 00:09:53,035 --> 00:09:55,070 As the journey went through the night 169 00:09:55,170 --> 00:09:57,206 we made our way by torchlight. 170 00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:01,176 There were fires burning 171 00:10:01,243 --> 00:10:03,178 spooking the mules. 172 00:10:03,245 --> 00:10:04,680 It was like a journey 173 00:10:04,747 --> 00:10:06,081 into the gates of hell. 174 00:10:10,886 --> 00:10:13,155 Finally, we reached his fortress 175 00:10:13,255 --> 00:10:14,256 but he's never done 176 00:10:14,323 --> 00:10:15,557 an interview before 177 00:10:15,658 --> 00:10:18,327 so is he going to show up or not? 178 00:10:20,629 --> 00:10:21,630 Next morning 179 00:10:21,730 --> 00:10:25,567 I'm sitting outside the hut 180 00:10:25,634 --> 00:10:26,568 having breakfast. 181 00:10:32,474 --> 00:10:34,176 Suddenly, Khun Sa 182 00:10:34,243 --> 00:10:35,844 appears out of nowhere. 183 00:10:44,253 --> 00:10:45,254 I couldn't believe 184 00:10:45,320 --> 00:10:46,889 the most wanted man in the world 185 00:10:46,955 --> 00:10:48,791 a two-million-dollar bounty 186 00:10:48,891 --> 00:10:51,160 on his head and there he was. 187 00:10:52,161 --> 00:10:54,496 You've been called an evil man 188 00:10:54,563 --> 00:10:56,365 a vicious criminal. 189 00:10:56,432 --> 00:10:57,966 What do you say to that? 190 00:10:59,168 --> 00:11:01,370 I am a revolutionary leader. 191 00:11:01,437 --> 00:11:03,138 The DEA and the Burmese 192 00:11:03,205 --> 00:11:04,273 and the drug enforcement 193 00:11:04,373 --> 00:11:06,308 organizations, all have to get money 194 00:11:06,408 --> 00:11:08,210 from countries like Australia. 195 00:11:08,277 --> 00:11:09,511 They get a big budget 196 00:11:09,611 --> 00:11:11,213 and use it in Southeast Asia 197 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:13,115 for political purposes. 198 00:11:13,215 --> 00:11:14,416 To get that money 199 00:11:14,483 --> 00:11:15,484 they have to say that 200 00:11:15,551 --> 00:11:17,519 Khun Sa is this and this. 201 00:11:17,586 --> 00:11:18,787 Are you concerned about 202 00:11:18,887 --> 00:11:20,956 the effects of heroin? 203 00:11:23,992 --> 00:11:25,994 I realize that it has bad effects 204 00:11:26,095 --> 00:11:27,229 on human health 205 00:11:27,329 --> 00:11:28,363 and that it makes people 206 00:11:28,430 --> 00:11:30,432 become slow and dull. 207 00:11:30,833 --> 00:11:32,267 I realize very well 208 00:11:32,367 --> 00:11:33,736 the effects of heroin. 209 00:11:33,802 --> 00:11:35,871 Do you feel any responsibility 210 00:11:35,971 --> 00:11:36,872 for that? 211 00:11:39,374 --> 00:11:41,810 I feel very sad about that. 212 00:11:43,412 --> 00:11:45,914 I realize the danger of drugs. 213 00:11:46,014 --> 00:11:47,549 That is why from my heart 214 00:11:47,649 --> 00:11:49,485 I want to stop the opium. 215 00:11:49,785 --> 00:11:51,253 He exuded 216 00:11:51,320 --> 00:11:53,655 strength, and power and warmth. 217 00:11:53,722 --> 00:11:56,959 Khun Sa made a pretty amazing offer. 218 00:11:57,059 --> 00:11:59,394 He told me that he would sell 219 00:11:59,495 --> 00:12:00,729 all his heroin 220 00:12:01,230 --> 00:12:03,232 directly to the American government 221 00:12:03,332 --> 00:12:05,667 for 50 million dollars a year 222 00:12:05,768 --> 00:12:07,169 over eight years. 223 00:12:07,236 --> 00:12:09,138 We can use the money to help people 224 00:12:09,204 --> 00:12:10,706 grow substitution crops. 225 00:12:10,806 --> 00:12:11,807 Or you can let us buy 226 00:12:11,874 --> 00:12:13,809 all the opium crop for you 227 00:12:13,876 --> 00:12:16,378 so we can stop it completely. 228 00:12:17,179 --> 00:12:19,348 I proposed to the Americans 229 00:12:19,448 --> 00:12:20,716 that I wanted to help 230 00:12:20,816 --> 00:12:22,451 opium eradication 231 00:12:23,352 --> 00:12:25,788 but they never got back to me. 232 00:12:25,888 --> 00:12:27,322 I've met presidents 233 00:12:27,389 --> 00:12:29,591 prime ministers, movie stars 234 00:12:29,691 --> 00:12:31,360 none of them had the charisma 235 00:12:31,693 --> 00:12:33,162 that Khun Sa had. 236 00:12:36,031 --> 00:12:39,234 But he was also incredibly ruthless. 237 00:12:57,352 --> 00:12:58,353 His parents died 238 00:12:58,453 --> 00:12:59,454 when he was fairly young 239 00:12:59,521 --> 00:13:00,656 so he was left 240 00:13:00,722 --> 00:13:02,791 somewhat to his own devices. 241 00:13:06,361 --> 00:13:07,429 He was illiterate 242 00:13:07,529 --> 00:13:09,298 he could not read or write. 243 00:13:09,364 --> 00:13:10,732 His ambitions were 244 00:13:10,799 --> 00:13:11,967 to become very powerful 245 00:13:12,034 --> 00:13:13,035 to make a lot of money. 246 00:13:18,674 --> 00:13:20,642 So around the age of 16 247 00:13:21,043 --> 00:13:22,911 he started to escort opium 248 00:13:23,011 --> 00:13:24,012 packed on the mules 249 00:13:24,079 --> 00:13:25,447 coming out of the mountains. 250 00:13:31,453 --> 00:13:32,921 It was fairly evident 251 00:13:32,988 --> 00:13:34,923 that he was going to be a leader. 252 00:13:35,357 --> 00:13:36,725 Anyone who crossed him... 253 00:13:41,763 --> 00:13:45,267 the punishment was death by clubbing. 254 00:13:48,737 --> 00:13:51,673 To operate in that part of the world 255 00:13:51,773 --> 00:13:54,109 whoever is the most ruthless 256 00:13:54,209 --> 00:13:56,044 they're the ones who rise to the top. 257 00:13:59,314 --> 00:14:01,116 Khun Sa quickly recognized 258 00:14:01,216 --> 00:14:02,317 the quality of the drugs 259 00:14:02,417 --> 00:14:03,919 being produced in the triangle 260 00:14:04,019 --> 00:14:04,987 and knew that 261 00:14:05,087 --> 00:14:06,955 this was his ticket to power. 262 00:14:09,725 --> 00:14:11,159 When you compare the opium 263 00:14:11,226 --> 00:14:12,628 that comes from Mexico 264 00:14:12,728 --> 00:14:15,230 or South America or Afghanistan 265 00:14:15,330 --> 00:14:17,766 the opium in the Golden Triangle area 266 00:14:17,833 --> 00:14:19,668 is the best quality. 267 00:14:24,907 --> 00:14:29,244 It is because of the high elevation. 268 00:14:29,311 --> 00:14:32,014 Its climate and its soil. 269 00:14:37,252 --> 00:14:40,756 Opium has been grown 270 00:14:40,856 --> 00:14:44,526 by us Shan people 271 00:14:44,593 --> 00:14:46,995 since the days of our early ancestors. 272 00:14:51,767 --> 00:14:57,539 Originally it was not sold 273 00:14:57,606 --> 00:14:59,908 but used to cure sickness 274 00:15:00,008 --> 00:15:04,079 like stomach aches and headaches. 275 00:15:18,627 --> 00:15:22,197 But when the war with Burma began 276 00:15:22,998 --> 00:15:29,004 many groups started using opium 277 00:15:29,071 --> 00:15:36,945 to make money, for their armies. 278 00:15:46,388 --> 00:15:49,057 Khun Sa was no exception. 279 00:15:50,325 --> 00:15:52,694 He saw this as an opportunity 280 00:15:52,761 --> 00:15:55,731 to really gain wealth and power. 281 00:15:56,631 --> 00:15:59,534 As he began to provide security 282 00:15:59,601 --> 00:16:01,670 for the opium shipments 283 00:16:01,770 --> 00:16:05,273 he was able to recruit more soldiers 284 00:16:07,409 --> 00:16:09,511 and he was able to 285 00:16:09,611 --> 00:16:12,681 really rival the other groups 286 00:16:12,748 --> 00:16:14,816 in terms of power and money. 287 00:16:26,328 --> 00:16:27,829 During the time of his rise 288 00:16:27,929 --> 00:16:29,931 Khun Sa's people, the Shan 289 00:16:29,998 --> 00:16:32,167 got into a protracted war with Burma. 290 00:16:33,769 --> 00:16:37,305 The Shan are an ethnic people. 291 00:16:37,639 --> 00:16:39,975 The Burmese had promised 292 00:16:40,042 --> 00:16:43,278 that we would have our own autonomy 293 00:16:43,378 --> 00:16:45,680 the right of autonomy 294 00:16:46,314 --> 00:16:48,950 but we have never been granted 295 00:16:49,051 --> 00:16:50,018 independence. 296 00:16:51,353 --> 00:16:54,790 We have been second-class citizens. 297 00:16:54,890 --> 00:16:56,324 So we had no choice 298 00:16:56,391 --> 00:16:58,827 but to take up arms 299 00:16:59,361 --> 00:17:02,931 and struggle for our rights. 300 00:17:06,835 --> 00:17:07,936 Khun Sa told me that 301 00:17:08,003 --> 00:17:09,404 the Burmese government 302 00:17:09,471 --> 00:17:10,672 was oppressing his people 303 00:17:10,772 --> 00:17:12,808 and the only way for him 304 00:17:12,874 --> 00:17:14,276 as a revolutionary leader 305 00:17:14,376 --> 00:17:17,412 to fight that was to sell heroin. 306 00:17:17,479 --> 00:17:19,815 He was selling heroin to the West 307 00:17:19,881 --> 00:17:21,850 to finance his revolution. 308 00:17:24,519 --> 00:17:25,654 He thought that 309 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,523 "If we are going to win independence" 310 00:17:29,057 --> 00:17:31,693 "let's do it through drugs." 311 00:17:33,495 --> 00:17:34,729 Khun Sa became 312 00:17:34,796 --> 00:17:36,431 the most powerful warlord 313 00:17:36,531 --> 00:17:37,833 in the Golden Triangle. 314 00:17:43,071 --> 00:17:44,606 At his height, Khun Sa controlled 315 00:17:44,673 --> 00:17:46,241 approximately 70% 316 00:17:46,308 --> 00:17:47,809 of the heroin trafficking 317 00:17:47,876 --> 00:17:49,711 emanating out of Burma. 318 00:17:54,116 --> 00:17:55,650 He was making 319 00:17:56,084 --> 00:17:57,586 hundreds of millions of dollars 320 00:17:57,686 --> 00:17:58,587 per year. 321 00:18:02,924 --> 00:18:05,227 Pablo Escobar and El Chapo 322 00:18:05,327 --> 00:18:07,429 may have had notoriety 323 00:18:08,096 --> 00:18:09,598 but the drug warlords 324 00:18:09,698 --> 00:18:11,366 of the Golden Triangle 325 00:18:11,433 --> 00:18:12,801 pulled in more cash 326 00:18:12,868 --> 00:18:15,070 than they could ever have dreamed. 327 00:18:15,170 --> 00:18:16,404 We're talking about money 328 00:18:16,471 --> 00:18:18,106 that made Khun Sa 329 00:18:18,206 --> 00:18:20,008 the world's biggest drug trafficker. 330 00:18:27,249 --> 00:18:31,386 In the history of the Shan 331 00:18:31,486 --> 00:18:37,626 he was one of our great leaders. 332 00:18:38,126 --> 00:18:39,794 He managed to convince these people 333 00:18:39,895 --> 00:18:41,296 many of whom were very poor 334 00:18:41,363 --> 00:18:42,364 that he was in there 335 00:18:42,430 --> 00:18:43,965 fighting for them. 336 00:18:44,032 --> 00:18:45,567 A lot of that was false. 337 00:18:45,867 --> 00:18:47,602 I think he was really interested in 338 00:18:47,669 --> 00:18:49,838 his own, you know, wealth and power. 339 00:18:52,374 --> 00:18:53,508 He's not like Robin Hood. 340 00:18:54,676 --> 00:18:56,511 He claimed that people adored him 341 00:18:56,611 --> 00:18:59,147 because let's say he earned 100 baht 342 00:18:59,247 --> 00:19:00,415 he gave them five baht. Of course 343 00:19:00,482 --> 00:19:02,317 those people are very happy 344 00:19:02,417 --> 00:19:04,486 but the 95 baht goes into his pocket. 345 00:19:08,523 --> 00:19:11,693 He led a lavish lifestyle. 346 00:19:14,796 --> 00:19:17,766 He had a tennis court, a swimming pool 347 00:19:18,833 --> 00:19:21,770 and two to three of his own houses. 348 00:19:23,405 --> 00:19:26,841 He also had many mistresses. 349 00:19:26,908 --> 00:19:29,244 You could say it was his hobby 350 00:19:29,311 --> 00:19:31,546 or it's in his character. 351 00:19:34,249 --> 00:19:38,153 Did he live well? 352 00:19:38,253 --> 00:19:41,723 Let's just say 353 00:19:42,290 --> 00:19:46,228 he owned many night clubs. 354 00:19:46,328 --> 00:19:47,529 He was into dancing 355 00:19:47,596 --> 00:19:49,965 and having a good time. 356 00:19:53,435 --> 00:19:55,337 On one side, there was Khun Sa 357 00:19:55,403 --> 00:19:57,272 the jungle guerrilla fighter 358 00:19:57,372 --> 00:19:58,974 and on the other, there was a man 359 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:01,576 who loved the finer things in life. 360 00:20:02,244 --> 00:20:04,679 Who was the real Khun Sa? 361 00:20:07,282 --> 00:20:09,951 America's public enemy number one 362 00:20:10,051 --> 00:20:11,553 in the United States 363 00:20:11,653 --> 00:20:12,988 is drug abuse. 364 00:20:15,323 --> 00:20:16,324 In order to fight 365 00:20:16,391 --> 00:20:17,392 and defeat this enemy 366 00:20:17,492 --> 00:20:19,561 it is necessary to wage 367 00:20:19,628 --> 00:20:21,596 a new, all-out offensive. 368 00:20:25,533 --> 00:20:28,536 Around 1971, President Nixon 369 00:20:28,603 --> 00:20:31,172 declared a war on drugs. 370 00:20:33,375 --> 00:20:35,176 This happens time after time 371 00:20:35,877 --> 00:20:38,413 seeing even teenagers almost dying 372 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:39,414 fighting death. 373 00:20:40,015 --> 00:20:41,016 Many people standing around 374 00:20:41,082 --> 00:20:42,517 in the crowd, you know 375 00:20:42,617 --> 00:20:43,618 watching this person 376 00:20:43,685 --> 00:20:45,387 if they see this kind of thing and 377 00:20:45,487 --> 00:20:46,488 there's not too much sympathy 378 00:20:46,554 --> 00:20:47,555 for them. 379 00:20:47,656 --> 00:20:48,990 This is a different kind of death. 380 00:20:49,090 --> 00:20:50,458 Drugs were really rampant 381 00:20:50,525 --> 00:20:51,693 in the streets. 382 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,396 Heroin was very prevalent. 383 00:20:56,798 --> 00:20:57,999 Drug dealers and users 384 00:20:58,066 --> 00:20:59,601 have reason to be concerned. 385 00:20:59,668 --> 00:21:00,969 The convicted seller of 386 00:21:01,036 --> 00:21:03,271 a pound of heroin, 15 years to life 387 00:21:03,371 --> 00:21:04,839 with no possibility of parole. 388 00:21:06,174 --> 00:21:07,175 Seeing the damage 389 00:21:07,242 --> 00:21:09,577 drugs was having on American lives 390 00:21:09,644 --> 00:21:11,413 the President gave the DEA 391 00:21:11,479 --> 00:21:13,214 new robust powers 392 00:21:13,281 --> 00:21:15,083 to go after Khun Sa. 393 00:21:23,491 --> 00:21:24,392 Deal the cards, man. 394 00:21:27,028 --> 00:21:28,229 I came here with luck. 395 00:21:29,030 --> 00:21:30,165 What did you have 396 00:21:30,231 --> 00:21:31,366 to make you this lucky today? 397 00:21:31,733 --> 00:21:33,001 Did you bring any talisman with you? 398 00:21:35,437 --> 00:21:38,206 - No luck! - Come on, deal the cards. 399 00:21:39,307 --> 00:21:40,709 Not that I'm bragging 400 00:21:40,809 --> 00:21:42,444 but I got nine! 401 00:21:43,645 --> 00:21:45,213 We had an informant 402 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:46,281 who was giving us 403 00:21:46,348 --> 00:21:47,482 a lot of information. 404 00:21:48,416 --> 00:21:50,352 He was providing us with intelligence 405 00:21:50,452 --> 00:21:52,354 on Khun Sa's organization 406 00:21:52,887 --> 00:21:54,789 and on the heroin brokers. 407 00:22:00,729 --> 00:22:01,796 Get home safe. 408 00:22:01,896 --> 00:22:02,931 See you tomorrow. 409 00:22:03,865 --> 00:22:04,966 Good luck, man. 410 00:22:07,068 --> 00:22:08,403 Wow, you won a lot. 411 00:22:08,470 --> 00:22:09,537 You're rich today. 412 00:22:09,604 --> 00:22:11,005 Just today, I let you win. 413 00:22:11,573 --> 00:22:12,707 Come early tomorrow. 414 00:22:24,452 --> 00:22:26,654 Two guys came by on a motorcycle 415 00:22:26,721 --> 00:22:28,089 with an AK-47 416 00:22:28,156 --> 00:22:29,524 and just sprayed bullets 417 00:22:29,591 --> 00:22:30,525 and killed him. 418 00:22:35,330 --> 00:22:36,564 If they suspect somebody 419 00:22:36,631 --> 00:22:37,732 of being an informant 420 00:22:37,799 --> 00:22:39,801 then they would have no qualms 421 00:22:39,868 --> 00:22:41,669 about killing that person. 422 00:22:41,770 --> 00:22:43,671 I liked Khun Sa 423 00:22:43,772 --> 00:22:46,474 but I didn't, for a moment, believe 424 00:22:46,574 --> 00:22:49,010 that he was anything but a killer. 425 00:22:54,816 --> 00:22:56,484 By the 1980s, Khun Sa was 426 00:22:56,551 --> 00:22:58,119 at the height of his power 427 00:22:58,186 --> 00:23:00,288 and he was effectively untouchable. 428 00:23:00,922 --> 00:23:02,090 There is, at the present time 429 00:23:02,157 --> 00:23:04,359 a stockpile of over one ton 430 00:23:05,026 --> 00:23:08,029 of 94% to 97% pure heroin. 431 00:23:09,697 --> 00:23:11,199 The agents, investigators 432 00:23:11,299 --> 00:23:13,468 prosecutors at the time 433 00:23:13,568 --> 00:23:14,836 were focused on one thing 434 00:23:14,936 --> 00:23:15,970 and that was stopping 435 00:23:16,037 --> 00:23:17,238 the flow of Southeast Asian heroin 436 00:23:17,305 --> 00:23:18,306 into the United States. 437 00:23:18,406 --> 00:23:20,241 They sent DEA agents 438 00:23:20,308 --> 00:23:21,910 to be stationed in Thailand. 439 00:23:27,482 --> 00:23:29,317 My boss called me into the room 440 00:23:29,417 --> 00:23:30,418 and wanted me to set up 441 00:23:30,485 --> 00:23:31,920 a small group. 442 00:23:32,353 --> 00:23:33,388 And the idea was that 443 00:23:33,488 --> 00:23:36,124 we would target Khun Sa. 444 00:23:42,030 --> 00:23:43,131 DEA at that time 445 00:23:43,198 --> 00:23:45,033 working with the Thai authorities 446 00:23:45,133 --> 00:23:46,935 seized quite a bit of heroin that was 447 00:23:47,001 --> 00:23:48,870 destined for the United States. 448 00:23:55,977 --> 00:23:57,045 First case we did 449 00:23:57,111 --> 00:23:58,413 two and a half tons of opium. 450 00:24:07,121 --> 00:24:10,592 This was a major blow for Khun Sa. 451 00:24:10,692 --> 00:24:14,362 This was huge win for Group 41. 452 00:24:29,677 --> 00:24:33,481 We had word through special sources 453 00:24:33,548 --> 00:24:35,617 and special intelligence 454 00:24:35,683 --> 00:24:37,519 that Khun Sa stated that 455 00:24:37,585 --> 00:24:39,354 any DEA agent found 456 00:24:39,454 --> 00:24:40,922 he will kidnap. 457 00:24:48,096 --> 00:24:50,231 Mike Powers was a DEA agent 458 00:24:50,331 --> 00:24:51,533 assigned to work 459 00:24:51,599 --> 00:24:52,634 in the Chiang Mai area. 460 00:24:56,471 --> 00:24:58,039 He liked to dress in fatigues 461 00:24:58,106 --> 00:24:59,207 and go out with the police 462 00:24:59,274 --> 00:25:01,843 and put his face out in the public. 463 00:25:04,212 --> 00:25:05,113 That's very dangerous. 464 00:25:06,447 --> 00:25:07,515 You just walking around like that and 465 00:25:07,615 --> 00:25:10,285 tell them, "I'm a DEA agent." 466 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:12,854 You should be a secret, you know 467 00:25:12,921 --> 00:25:14,322 not trying to show your face 468 00:25:14,389 --> 00:25:16,090 on the media at all. 469 00:25:18,927 --> 00:25:19,994 That day, Mrs Powers 470 00:25:20,094 --> 00:25:21,896 came out of the house around 10 471 00:25:21,963 --> 00:25:24,399 or 11 o'clock to do some shopping. 472 00:25:25,266 --> 00:25:27,035 - How much? - 50 baht. 473 00:25:27,135 --> 00:25:28,236 50 baht? 474 00:25:28,836 --> 00:25:30,171 Can you make it 30? 475 00:25:30,538 --> 00:25:31,839 Okay, I'll take them. 476 00:25:37,445 --> 00:25:38,513 It's okay, you can keep that. 477 00:25:39,113 --> 00:25:40,248 Thank you. 478 00:25:52,560 --> 00:25:53,928 - Hello. - Hello! 479 00:25:53,995 --> 00:25:54,929 Let's go home? 480 00:25:59,634 --> 00:26:01,569 Calm down! 481 00:26:08,810 --> 00:26:10,578 - Stay away from me! - Calm down! 482 00:26:11,312 --> 00:26:12,246 Brother! 483 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:13,615 Calm down. 484 00:26:14,282 --> 00:26:16,551 What do you want? You can tell me. 485 00:26:17,085 --> 00:26:18,086 I told you, back off! 486 00:26:18,152 --> 00:26:19,253 I don't want anything. Back off! 487 00:26:26,761 --> 00:26:28,630 - Back off! - Calm down. 488 00:26:35,470 --> 00:26:37,405 Somebody was trying to send a message 489 00:26:37,472 --> 00:26:39,107 to Mike, to the DEA 490 00:26:39,207 --> 00:26:40,241 to the Americans. 491 00:26:42,477 --> 00:26:44,479 If you crossed Khun Sa... 492 00:26:47,348 --> 00:26:48,349 there would be no question 493 00:26:48,449 --> 00:26:49,417 you would be killed. 494 00:26:59,327 --> 00:27:00,595 Acting on a tip-off 495 00:27:00,695 --> 00:27:02,330 customs agents in Bangkok 496 00:27:02,397 --> 00:27:04,365 searched a New York bound freighter 497 00:27:04,432 --> 00:27:06,401 loaded with bales of rubber. 498 00:27:06,467 --> 00:27:09,070 In 1988, the Thai authorities 499 00:27:09,170 --> 00:27:11,539 working with the DEA seized 500 00:27:11,606 --> 00:27:12,974 three and a half thousand pounds 501 00:27:13,041 --> 00:27:15,576 of pure Southeast Asian heroin. 502 00:27:16,377 --> 00:27:17,345 When they opened up 503 00:27:17,445 --> 00:27:18,479 some of the bales, they found 504 00:27:18,546 --> 00:27:20,448 packets of almost pure heroin. 505 00:27:24,919 --> 00:27:26,788 This was said to be 506 00:27:26,888 --> 00:27:28,189 directly attributable 507 00:27:28,289 --> 00:27:30,391 to Khun Sa and his organization. 508 00:27:30,825 --> 00:27:32,427 It was the largest heroin find 509 00:27:32,527 --> 00:27:33,528 ever made. 510 00:27:33,594 --> 00:27:35,229 The value of the haul in American street 511 00:27:35,329 --> 00:27:37,031 prices over one billion dollars. 512 00:27:37,131 --> 00:27:39,333 We were well aware that 513 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:41,169 this organization was sending 514 00:27:41,235 --> 00:27:42,236 shipments like that 515 00:27:42,336 --> 00:27:44,005 into the continental United States. 516 00:27:45,039 --> 00:27:47,008 Law enforcement officials from the FBI 517 00:27:47,075 --> 00:27:48,443 the Drug Enforcement Administration 518 00:27:48,509 --> 00:27:49,811 proudly displayed guns 519 00:27:49,877 --> 00:27:51,345 and sacks of heroin. 520 00:27:51,446 --> 00:27:53,815 Eventually we were confident that 521 00:27:53,881 --> 00:27:56,818 we had enough to connect Khun Sa 522 00:27:56,884 --> 00:27:59,053 with the heroin 523 00:27:59,120 --> 00:28:00,354 coming into New York City. 524 00:28:02,790 --> 00:28:05,393 That enabled us to indict Khun Sa 525 00:28:05,493 --> 00:28:06,594 for trafficking. 526 00:28:10,031 --> 00:28:11,065 The charges were 527 00:28:11,165 --> 00:28:13,835 conspiracy to traffic in narcotics 528 00:28:13,935 --> 00:28:15,470 distribution of narcotics 529 00:28:15,570 --> 00:28:18,272 and continuing criminal enterprise. 530 00:28:23,177 --> 00:28:25,747 The key to bringing Khun Sa down 531 00:28:25,847 --> 00:28:26,814 was the indictment. 532 00:28:31,452 --> 00:28:32,687 It gave 533 00:28:33,121 --> 00:28:35,189 especially the Thai government 534 00:28:35,289 --> 00:28:37,825 the legal rationale for 535 00:28:38,359 --> 00:28:40,027 shutting down the border 536 00:28:40,128 --> 00:28:41,229 and going after him. 537 00:28:45,133 --> 00:28:48,136 Around 1994, the DEA Bangkok office 538 00:28:48,202 --> 00:28:50,471 conceived of a strategy to go after 539 00:28:50,571 --> 00:28:52,573 the highest-level drug traffickers. 540 00:28:52,640 --> 00:28:53,841 We got it, Lieutenant. 541 00:28:55,009 --> 00:28:57,445 This is Khun Sa 542 00:28:57,512 --> 00:28:59,514 the most-wanted man we're looking for. 543 00:29:01,349 --> 00:29:02,950 The name of this operation 544 00:29:03,050 --> 00:29:04,452 and this new strategy 545 00:29:04,519 --> 00:29:06,154 was Operation Tiger Trap. 546 00:29:12,894 --> 00:29:17,832 This is Khun Sa and all of his files. 547 00:29:19,634 --> 00:29:22,770 This is one of Khun Sa's henchmen. 548 00:29:22,837 --> 00:29:25,206 He has a lot of manpower. 549 00:29:26,574 --> 00:29:28,376 And this is Bang Ron 550 00:29:28,442 --> 00:29:30,178 the guy we caught 551 00:29:30,244 --> 00:29:32,713 and he had informed on Khun Sa. 552 00:29:32,814 --> 00:29:34,448 You had the king, Khun Sa. 553 00:29:35,116 --> 00:29:36,717 Was he going to be touchable? 554 00:29:37,218 --> 00:29:38,219 We didn't know. 555 00:29:38,286 --> 00:29:40,655 But he depended on his underlings. 556 00:29:40,721 --> 00:29:41,722 He had people that were 557 00:29:41,789 --> 00:29:42,790 taking care of his money. 558 00:29:42,890 --> 00:29:44,091 He had people that were taking care 559 00:29:44,158 --> 00:29:45,760 of his drug distribution. 560 00:29:45,827 --> 00:29:47,428 He had people taking care of his army. 561 00:29:47,795 --> 00:29:49,330 If we need to travel 562 00:29:49,397 --> 00:29:51,232 we need to travel by car. 563 00:29:51,332 --> 00:29:52,233 Okay. 564 00:29:54,802 --> 00:29:55,803 Our thought was that 565 00:29:55,870 --> 00:29:57,572 if we could eliminate these people 566 00:29:57,638 --> 00:29:59,006 we would stop Khun Sa. 567 00:30:20,428 --> 00:30:22,029 Freeze! This is the police! 568 00:30:22,129 --> 00:30:23,197 Get down! 569 00:30:24,498 --> 00:30:27,168 Why are you arresting me? 570 00:30:31,639 --> 00:30:32,707 Let me go! 571 00:30:32,807 --> 00:30:35,042 Stay still! 572 00:30:41,883 --> 00:30:43,818 Within 15 hours 573 00:30:43,885 --> 00:30:44,919 we got everybody arrested. 574 00:30:50,725 --> 00:30:52,960 These individuals all associated with 575 00:30:53,027 --> 00:30:55,229 the drug trafficking organization 576 00:30:55,329 --> 00:30:57,431 controlled by Khun Sa 577 00:30:57,531 --> 00:30:58,833 have been taken into custody 578 00:30:58,933 --> 00:31:00,468 by Thai authorities. 579 00:31:00,801 --> 00:31:02,169 We hope they can be extradited 580 00:31:02,236 --> 00:31:03,838 to stand trial in the United States. 581 00:31:04,772 --> 00:31:06,374 Arresting these individuals 582 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:09,977 was an extremely significant act 583 00:31:10,044 --> 00:31:12,146 because you're cutting off 584 00:31:12,246 --> 00:31:13,915 all the heads and essentially 585 00:31:14,015 --> 00:31:15,349 putting the monster, you know 586 00:31:15,449 --> 00:31:16,517 out of commission. 587 00:31:16,617 --> 00:31:18,686 We attacked his infrastructure 588 00:31:18,753 --> 00:31:20,321 we dismantled his empire. 589 00:31:20,688 --> 00:31:23,591 The impact was felt in two places. 590 00:31:24,725 --> 00:31:27,495 It was felt here in New York 591 00:31:28,496 --> 00:31:31,032 and it was felt 592 00:31:31,132 --> 00:31:32,466 in the hills of the Golden Triangle. 593 00:31:38,239 --> 00:31:39,907 They couldn't run anymore. 594 00:31:53,521 --> 00:31:56,290 Initially, I think he was probably 595 00:31:57,291 --> 00:31:59,160 maybe not so concerned. 596 00:31:59,226 --> 00:32:00,594 But as the time went by 597 00:32:00,695 --> 00:32:02,630 and as he realized that 598 00:32:02,730 --> 00:32:04,165 they were going to be extradited 599 00:32:04,231 --> 00:32:05,232 to the United States 600 00:32:05,333 --> 00:32:06,434 and were actually extradited 601 00:32:06,534 --> 00:32:07,535 to the United States 602 00:32:07,601 --> 00:32:08,736 it had to hit him pretty hard. 603 00:32:29,256 --> 00:32:30,758 Khun Sa's ultimate weakness 604 00:32:30,858 --> 00:32:33,127 he may have felt he was untouchable 605 00:32:35,429 --> 00:32:37,131 and learned otherwise. 606 00:32:54,448 --> 00:32:55,716 While his drug empire 607 00:32:55,816 --> 00:32:58,919 was slowly being shut down by the DEA 608 00:32:58,986 --> 00:33:01,355 politics between the Burmese military 609 00:33:01,455 --> 00:33:03,391 and Khun Sa's revolutionary army 610 00:33:03,491 --> 00:33:05,393 reached a tipping point. 611 00:33:05,793 --> 00:33:09,630 Around this time, the Myanmar army 612 00:33:09,730 --> 00:33:13,034 began taking on Khun Sa. 613 00:33:13,134 --> 00:33:15,069 Basically, Khun Sa 614 00:33:15,169 --> 00:33:16,470 was being squeezed. 615 00:33:16,570 --> 00:33:17,571 He was being squeezed 616 00:33:17,638 --> 00:33:18,906 from the Thai side 617 00:33:19,006 --> 00:33:20,841 and he was also being squeezed 618 00:33:20,908 --> 00:33:22,276 from the Myanmar side. 619 00:33:26,514 --> 00:33:29,683 Head towards 521, do you copy? 620 00:33:31,719 --> 00:33:34,088 He had attacked our military camps 621 00:33:34,155 --> 00:33:36,524 in a major offensive. 622 00:33:37,258 --> 00:33:39,026 Yeah. 521, and then head about 623 00:33:39,126 --> 00:33:41,195 one mile farther north is enough. 624 00:33:44,031 --> 00:33:46,434 It's not early. 625 00:33:46,534 --> 00:33:48,269 Pass by 514 to come to me. 626 00:33:48,369 --> 00:33:50,838 That way is better for you. 627 00:33:52,673 --> 00:33:53,808 More than 800 of his men 628 00:33:58,345 --> 00:34:01,415 lost their lives in the war. 629 00:34:01,482 --> 00:34:04,652 His troops felt demoralized. 630 00:34:11,058 --> 00:34:12,626 His top lieutenants were gone. 631 00:34:15,729 --> 00:34:16,730 I think he began to 632 00:34:16,797 --> 00:34:18,566 see the writing on the wall. 633 00:34:51,732 --> 00:34:52,933 One of his men 634 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:54,568 contacted our intelligence unit. 635 00:34:54,635 --> 00:34:57,438 Forming a team lead by me 636 00:35:06,313 --> 00:35:11,152 we went to Khun Sa's headquarters. 637 00:35:19,426 --> 00:35:21,228 We had to cross Thanlwin River. 638 00:35:21,328 --> 00:35:22,630 It was a perilous journey. 639 00:35:36,810 --> 00:35:39,413 Khun Sa came and met me. 640 00:35:43,484 --> 00:35:45,553 Once I saw his face 641 00:35:47,388 --> 00:35:52,927 I knew he was serious 642 00:35:53,427 --> 00:35:58,666 and was not up to any tricks. 643 00:36:07,007 --> 00:36:10,244 On the 7th of January 1996 644 00:36:10,311 --> 00:36:11,245 he surrendered. 645 00:36:19,186 --> 00:36:20,588 It was a major event at the time. 646 00:36:22,556 --> 00:36:25,926 Myanmar commanders and ministers 647 00:36:25,993 --> 00:36:27,027 were all there. 648 00:36:30,164 --> 00:36:33,767 His army surrendered 649 00:36:33,834 --> 00:36:35,569 all their weapons. 650 00:36:39,206 --> 00:36:41,842 The critical thing he turned over 651 00:36:41,909 --> 00:36:43,711 was his arms factory. 652 00:36:43,811 --> 00:36:46,714 The size of a small workshop. 653 00:36:50,050 --> 00:36:51,051 It was operated by 654 00:36:51,118 --> 00:36:52,253 200 soldiers and technicians. 655 00:36:57,925 --> 00:37:00,527 They produced mines, hand grenades 656 00:37:00,594 --> 00:37:03,964 and rocket launchers. 657 00:37:04,031 --> 00:37:06,767 They brought me to the factory. 658 00:37:11,338 --> 00:37:15,776 Khun Sa's men paid respects to him. 659 00:37:17,077 --> 00:37:20,547 He gave away lots of money. 660 00:37:20,648 --> 00:37:24,518 About 150 to 200,000 US dollars 661 00:37:24,618 --> 00:37:28,122 in just one morning. 662 00:37:28,188 --> 00:37:31,492 We had to make a few trips 663 00:37:31,558 --> 00:37:36,363 from the safe he kept. 664 00:37:43,404 --> 00:37:48,242 After which, we just wanted the crowd 665 00:37:48,309 --> 00:37:50,311 to quickly disperse. 666 00:37:56,550 --> 00:37:59,253 Khun Sa gave this speech 667 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:01,355 and saying this was all done 668 00:38:01,455 --> 00:38:02,556 in the name of making peace. 669 00:38:03,457 --> 00:38:05,392 I will officially announce 670 00:38:05,492 --> 00:38:06,927 that I don't want to do it anymore. 671 00:38:11,198 --> 00:38:13,667 I will transfer my power 672 00:38:13,767 --> 00:38:17,604 to God and my people. 673 00:38:17,671 --> 00:38:19,306 The people can choose 674 00:38:19,406 --> 00:38:21,008 their own leader. 675 00:38:27,881 --> 00:38:28,949 When Khun Sa surrendered 676 00:38:29,049 --> 00:38:30,284 to the Burmese government 677 00:38:30,351 --> 00:38:31,852 I was the one who called the DEA 678 00:38:31,919 --> 00:38:34,154 and told them. They said, "Really?" 679 00:38:34,254 --> 00:38:36,090 And I said, "You go check the news." 680 00:38:37,358 --> 00:38:38,359 To hear that Khun Sa 681 00:38:38,459 --> 00:38:39,426 had been brought down 682 00:38:39,526 --> 00:38:41,762 was very gratifying for me, personally. 683 00:38:41,829 --> 00:38:43,764 And of course, for the DEA. 684 00:38:44,498 --> 00:38:47,368 It was an unbelievable culmination 685 00:38:47,434 --> 00:38:50,003 of a great story. 686 00:38:54,675 --> 00:38:56,610 The DEA had demanded 687 00:38:56,677 --> 00:38:58,112 from the Burmese government 688 00:38:58,212 --> 00:39:00,914 for him to be extradited. 689 00:39:01,815 --> 00:39:04,084 But the Prince of Death had no plans 690 00:39:04,151 --> 00:39:05,452 to spend any time 691 00:39:05,519 --> 00:39:07,654 behind bars in America. 692 00:39:07,721 --> 00:39:10,257 Like the criminal mastermind he was 693 00:39:10,324 --> 00:39:11,692 he'd secretly made a deal 694 00:39:11,759 --> 00:39:12,760 with the Burmese 695 00:39:12,826 --> 00:39:14,528 before his surrender. 696 00:39:14,595 --> 00:39:17,798 One of the terms of his surrender 697 00:39:17,898 --> 00:39:20,033 was that he would not be turned over 698 00:39:20,134 --> 00:39:21,668 to the Americans. 699 00:39:24,538 --> 00:39:27,975 He was our citizen. 700 00:39:28,041 --> 00:39:31,545 He surrendered in peace. 701 00:39:31,645 --> 00:39:32,679 It was a bold decision to surrender. 702 00:39:32,746 --> 00:39:34,081 Why hand him over to America? 703 00:39:34,148 --> 00:39:36,450 That was why he had surrendered 704 00:39:36,517 --> 00:39:37,484 to the Burmese army 705 00:39:38,285 --> 00:39:40,854 instead of allowing himself 706 00:39:40,921 --> 00:39:43,357 to be captured by the DEA. 707 00:39:44,458 --> 00:39:46,226 No matter how much evidence we had 708 00:39:46,326 --> 00:39:47,928 of Khun Sa's drug trafficking 709 00:39:48,829 --> 00:39:49,997 they were not about to 710 00:39:50,097 --> 00:39:52,032 hand him over to us. 711 00:39:52,933 --> 00:39:54,134 The man responsible 712 00:39:54,201 --> 00:39:56,537 for thousands of overdose deaths 713 00:39:56,603 --> 00:39:58,806 in America, and elsewhere 714 00:39:58,872 --> 00:40:02,075 cleverly escaped US justice. 715 00:40:08,849 --> 00:40:10,017 He was put under house arrest 716 00:40:10,083 --> 00:40:11,118 in Rangoon and then 717 00:40:11,218 --> 00:40:12,986 was allowed to do 718 00:40:13,086 --> 00:40:14,154 legitimate business. 719 00:40:15,856 --> 00:40:17,925 He owned a golf course. 720 00:40:18,358 --> 00:40:19,426 His punishment wasn't 721 00:40:19,526 --> 00:40:20,527 really very severe 722 00:40:20,594 --> 00:40:22,429 his punishment was... 723 00:40:22,930 --> 00:40:24,565 "Okay, time for you to retire." 724 00:40:24,631 --> 00:40:25,632 "Time for you to get out" 725 00:40:25,732 --> 00:40:26,633 "of the business." 726 00:40:27,568 --> 00:40:28,569 We'd liked to have seen him 727 00:40:28,635 --> 00:40:29,570 go to jail. 728 00:40:33,207 --> 00:40:34,708 It never really mattered to me 729 00:40:34,808 --> 00:40:37,845 that we couldn't put our hands on him 730 00:40:37,911 --> 00:40:39,847 and bring him to the United States. 731 00:40:43,884 --> 00:40:45,652 When you look at that chessboard 732 00:40:45,719 --> 00:40:47,054 he was the king. 733 00:40:49,356 --> 00:40:51,058 He was the king that we... 734 00:40:51,124 --> 00:40:52,726 eventually knocked over. 735 00:40:53,627 --> 00:40:54,828 We ended 736 00:40:56,096 --> 00:40:57,130 Southeast Asian heroin 737 00:40:57,197 --> 00:40:58,232 here in New York. 738 00:41:31,632 --> 00:41:32,933 Every year 739 00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:37,037 villagers and former soldiers 740 00:41:37,137 --> 00:41:40,307 come together to honor Khun Sa. 741 00:41:40,641 --> 00:41:42,509 We, the villagers of Baan Hin Taek of 742 00:41:42,609 --> 00:41:44,511 different ethnicities come together. 743 00:41:44,912 --> 00:41:46,747 We gather here to give offerings. 744 00:41:52,152 --> 00:41:55,455 This is to remind the new generation 745 00:41:55,522 --> 00:41:58,759 of all the good Khun Sa did 746 00:41:58,859 --> 00:42:00,694 for the Shan and our village. 747 00:42:14,441 --> 00:42:17,411 Those who are pro Khun Sa would say 748 00:42:17,477 --> 00:42:19,913 he was just a freedom fighter. 749 00:42:21,081 --> 00:42:22,115 Those who oppose him 750 00:42:22,215 --> 00:42:23,684 would say he was just a drug lord. 751 00:42:31,558 --> 00:42:34,628 But I would say he was both. 752 00:42:41,168 --> 00:42:42,603 With drug warlords 753 00:42:42,669 --> 00:42:44,471 in the Golden Triangle 754 00:42:44,571 --> 00:42:45,572 take one out 755 00:42:45,639 --> 00:42:47,207 pretty soon, another one emerges. 756 00:42:55,916 --> 00:42:57,918 They want their own fiefdoms. 757 00:42:58,018 --> 00:42:59,019 It's about power 758 00:42:59,086 --> 00:43:00,687 it's about control, it's about money. 759 00:43:02,990 --> 00:43:04,491 Their business must go on. 760 00:43:04,558 --> 00:43:05,993 Just like the show must go on. 761 00:43:06,093 --> 00:43:07,194 The evil will never die.