Cocaine Cowboys (2006) - full transcript

[ROTOR BLADES SPINNING]

[SEAGULLS CRYING,
CHILDREN SHOUTING]

[SCREAMING]

Female reporter: THEY CALL THEM
THE COCAINE COWBOYS,

YESTERDAY THEY STRUCK
BUSY DADELAND SHOPPING MALL

EXECUTING TWO LATIN MALES
IN THE CROWN LIQUOR STORE.

THERE WAS AN EXCHANGE OF FIRE
BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS.

Reporter: SMASHED GLASS
AND LIQUOR BOTTLES FLYING.

Male reporter:
THE SHOOTING CONTINUED OUTSIDE.

2nd reporter: TWO MEN,
CUT DOWN IN A HAIL OF GUNFIRE.

Reporter: VICTIMS
OF MIAMI'S DRUG WAR.



THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY,
HE HAD A MACHINE GUN.

Man: THEY'VE GOT TO FIND
SOME WAY TO STOP THIS.

Woman: WHAT ARE THEY
GONNA DO ABOUT IT?

WHAT CAN THEY DO ABOUT IT?

Reporter: AND SOUTH FLORIDIANS
WONDERED WHERE

THE COCAINE COWBOYS
WILL STRIKE NEXT.

[SIREN]

Man: MY NAME IS JON ROBERTS.

I WAS BORN IN NEW YORK
AND I GOT INVOLVED

WITH A GROUP OF ITALIANS
FROM NEW YORK

AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY
PART OF A MAFIA FAMILY.

AND WE OPENED ABOUT 4 OR 5
NIGHTCLUBS THAT BECAME VERY BIG,

AND WE WERE DOING REALLY WELL.

ONE DAY, THEY JUST CAME IN,
THE POLICE,



WE HAD NO IDEA
WHY THEY WERE THERE

AND THEN THEY TOLD US THAT OUR
PARTNER, THEY HAD FOUND HIM

OUT ON THE LONG ISLAND
EXPRESSWAY

AND HE HAD BEEN KILLED
AND HE HAD LIKE

11 BULLET HOLES IN HIM.

SO WHO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED.

THE BEST THING THAT
I COULD THINK AT THAT TIME WAS

JUST LET ME GET AWAY
FROM ALL THIS HEAT.

SO I MOVED DOWN HERE

AND STARTED INTO
THE COCAINE BUSINESS.

THE CITY IN THE MIAMI AREA
WAS VERY, VERY QUIET,

AND IT WAS JUST
A VERY PLEASANT PLACE TO LIVE.

Man: PRIOR TO 1956,

THE NIGHT SHIFT
FOR THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT

HAD ONE POLICE CAR

TO PATROL AN AREA
THE SIZE OF RHODE ISLAND.

Jon: MIAMI BACK THEN
WAS THE SOUTH,

IT WAS LIKE ALABAMA,

THERE WAS NO MONEY HERE.
THERE WERE NO BIG BUILDINGS,

DOWNTOWN WAS PRETTY BARREN,

MIAMI BEACH, IT WAS
A LOT OF OLD PEOPLE

JUST SITTING AROUND
IN ROCKING CHAIRS

ON SOUTH BEACH
WAITING TO DIE

AND IT WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT
WORLD OUT HERE, BACK THEN.

Man on TV: THIS IS WHY MIAMI
IS FOR YOU.

IN THE '60S AND '70S,
MIAMI FLOURISHED

PRIMARILY
AS A VACATION SPOT.

AL SUNSHINE.
AL SUNSHINE.

AL SUNSHINE.
CHANNEL 4 NEWS.

Man: SUN AND FUN ON THE BEACH,
THE PALM TREES.

Man on TV: MIAMI IS A MAJOR
TRANSPORTATION CENTER

AND IS EASILY REACHED
BY ALL FORMS OF TRAVEL.

Burstyn: IN THE LATE 1970S,
THOUSANDS OF ILLEGAL AND LEGAL

SOUTH AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS
STARTED ENTERING MIAMI.

TV: THE LATIN-AMERICAN
INFLUENCE HAS

GIVEN MIAMI A UNIQUE FLAVOR.

MIAMI HAD BY THEN
BEEN ESTABLISHED

AS AN ENVIRONMENT

WHERE A SPANISH SPEAKER ONLY
COULD THRIVE.

MIAMI HAS ALWAYS BEEN

SORT OF A PIRATY

KIND OF FIERCELY
INDEPENDENT ENVIRONMENT

WHERE LAW AND ORDER
WAS NEVER CHAMPIONED.

LIKE A VIRGIN CITY.

I'M AN OLD
SOUTH FLORIDA BOY.

ONE OF THE FEW THAT'S THAT OLD
WHO WAS BORN HERE.

I WAS IN THE IMPORT BUSINESS.

DO YOUR ARCHAEOLOGY
AND DIG DOWN,

YOU'LL FIND THE GUN-RUNNERS

AND THEN YOU'LL FIND
THE RUM-RUNNERS

AND YOU'LL FIND THE MARIJUANA

AND YOU'LL FIND
THE CUBAN IMMIGRANTS

AND THEN
YOU'LL FIND THE COCAINE.

THIS CITY HAS ALWAYS HAD
SOMETHING COMING IN.

Man: SOUTH FLORIDA
IS THE NEAREST

U.S. MAINLAND DESTINATION

FOR SOUTH AMERICAN
DRUG SMUGGLERS.

IT WAS WIDE OPEN BACK THEN.
IT WAS WIDE OPEN.

Man: THERE IS MILE AFTER MILE
OF UNGUARDED SHORELINE

WHERE A BOAT CAN DROP DRUGS
UNDETECTED.

Jon: IN THE '70S
WHEN I FIRST CAME DOWN HERE,

EVERYBODY IN FLORIDA
WAS SMUGGLING POT IN.

Man: THE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
BELIEVES

95% OF ALL MARIJUANA SMUGGLED
INTO THE UNITED STATES

COMES THROUGH SOUTH FLORIDA.

Mickey: A FRIEND OF MINE
PASSED AWAY IN HIS WAREHOUSE,

HE HAD 2,000 POUNDS
OF MARIJUANA.

AND WHAT I DID WAS
I WENT IN AND TOOK IT.

I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW
ANYBODY IN THE BUSINESS

SO I GAVE HALF OF IT
TO SOMEBODY

AND I GAVE THE OTHER HALF
TO SOMEBODY

AND I SPLIT IT WITH THEM.

IF YOU WERE MAKING $10,000
A YEAR,

YOU WERE DOING PRETTY GOOD.

IF YOU WERE MAKING $20,000

YOU WERE DOING PHENOMENAL.

I THINK I HAD LIKE $165,000.

SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
8 YEARS' SALARY ALONE.

AND I SAID,
THIS IS PRETTY NICE,

THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING MORE
TO THIS. IT WAS TOO EASY.

I MEAN YOU COULD DRIVE IN
WITH A BOAT,

STACKED UP,
PULL UP TO THE DOCK

AND UNLOAD IT
AND NOBODY SAID A THING.

THERE WAS NO DEFENSE
OF THE BORDER TO SPEAK OF.

Reporter: AND AT
THE PRESENT RATE ACCORDING TO

SOME ECONOMISTS,

THE STATE'S MAJOR INDUSTRY
COULD SOON BE DRUG SMUGGLING.

Mickey: YOU COULD BE OUT
IN A BOAT

AND FIND BALES
OF MARIJUANA FLOATING.

I MEAN THE PROVERBIAL
SQUARE GROUPER.

THE COLOMBIANS REALIZED

THEY HAD THEY HAD A GOLDMINE
HERE AND WHEN THEY WERE SENDING

LIKE ALL THIS POT,
THEY WOULD SEND

A FEW KILOS OF COKE.

Jon: IN THE BEGINNING
IT WAS VERY SMALL...

Mickey: BECAUSE
IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE.

Jon: AND THEY WOULD BRING THEM
IN A SUITCASE...

Mickey: SO YOU DIDN'T SEE
MUCH OF IT.

AND IT WOULD GET EXTREMELY
HIGH PRICES FOR IT.

THE MID-'70s WITH D.E.A.,
THE PRIORITY WAS EXTREMELY LOW.

OUR OFFICE WAS PRETTY MUCH SHUT
DOWN WHEN IT CAME TO COCAINE.

THERE IS NOT A SERIOUS
PROBLEM NATIONWIDE

GIVEN THE VERY LARGE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE WHO USE COCAINE.

IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR
A CERTAIN SMALLER MINORITY.

I MET A CUBAN MAN
OUT IN HIALEAH

AND HIS NAME WAS
ALBERT SANPEDRO.

MOST CUBANS GOT
WHATEVER THEY GOT

FROM COLOMBIANS, OBVIOUSLY
BECAUSE THE COLOMBIANS,

YOU KNOW,
CONTROLLED EVERYTHING.

Reporter:
IN DRUG TRAFFICKING,

CUBAN-AMERICAN
ORGANIZATIONS HERE

ARE OFTEN ALLIED
WITH COLOMBIAN GROUPS.

COLOMBIANS IMPORTING THE DRUGS,
CUBANS DISTRIBUTING THEM.

AND ALBERT WOULD FRONT ME
A QUARTER OF A POUND

AND HE WOULD GIVE ME
LIKE THREE OR FOUR DAYS

AND THEN I WOULD GO
AND BRING HIM THE MONEY BACK.

AND THEN HE'D GIVE ME ANOTHER
QUARTER OF A POUND,

AND I THINK I USED TO PAY HIM
SOMEWHERE AROUND...

ABOUT 800 AN OUNCE OR SOMETHING,
BACK IN THE '70s FOR IT.

AND IT WASN'T OF ANY QUALITY,

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE
DIDN'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE

AND THEY WOULD SEE THESE
BIG ROCKS AND THEY'D THINK,

"WOW, THIS IS GREAT SHIT."
AND MY CLIENTS

WEREN'T THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU
WOULD THINK THEY WOULD BE,

LIKE THESE STREET PEOPLE.

Mickey: IF ANYBODY HAD COCAINE,

THEY HAD TO BE
AN AIRLINE PILOT.

REAL ESTATE PEOPLE DOWN HERE.

Mickey: DOCTORS, ATTORNEYS.

Jon: I HAD LAWYERS,
I HAD DOCTORS.

SOMEBODY THAT COULD AFFORD
WHAT IT COSTS.

THEY WERE CALLED
WEEKEND WARRIORS.

DURING THE WEEK
THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING

BUT ON THE WEEKEND THEY'D
JUST GO FROM FRIDAY NIGHT

TILL SUNDAY AND DO THIS THING.
AND EACH GUY WOULD

INTRODUCE ME TO ANOTHER FRIEND.
SO EVENTUALLY

IT WENT FROM 4 OUNCES

TO 8 OUNCES
TO 12 TO 16

WHERE WITHIN LIKE A MONTH
I WAS SELLING

PROBABLY 2, 3 KILOS A WEEK JUST
TO THESE DOCTORS AND FRIENDS.

WHEN I CAME FROM NEW YORK,
I CAME DOWN HERE

WITH $650 IN MY POCKET

AND I WAS MAKING 20,000, 30,000
A WEEK BACK THEN

JUST OFF THIS LITTLE TRADE.

I HAD A FRIEND
WHO I KNEW FROM NEW YORK,

HE DEVELOPED A BIG, BIG TRADE
OUT IN CALIFORNIA

IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA.

HE WAS SELLING TO
THE OAKLAND RAIDERS,

HE WAS SELLING TO
THE GRATEFUL DEAD.

I HAD MET A STEWARDESS,
AND THIS STEWARDESS WORKED FOR

NATIONAL AIRLINES AT THE TIME.

SO WE WOULD SEND COKE
WITH THE STEWARDESS.

AND SHE WOULD GO FROM HERE
TO SAN FRANCISCO

AND WE WERE SENDING HIM
ANYWHERE

FROM 5 TO 10 KILOS A WEEK.
AND I WAS GETTING BACK

BIG MONEY AT THE TIME, I MEAN,
YOU'RE STARTING TO GET INTO

THE 200,000 TO 300,000, AND BACK
THEN I STARTED MEETING GUYS--

MERCURY MORRIS, WHO WAS A GREAT
RUNNING BACK FOR THE DOLPHINS

WHO ALSO WENT TO JAIL,
SO IT'S NO SECRET.

Reporter: MERC IS JUST
ONE FALLEN ANGEL

OF THE MIAMI FOOTBALL MACHINE.

FORMER DOLPHINS DON REESE

AND RANDY CROWDER WERE ALSO
ARRESTED BY MIAMI POLICE

IN ANOTHER
COCAINE TRANSACTION.

Jon: I REMEMBER
THE WEEK OF THE SUPER BOWL

WHEN DALLAS
PLAYED PITTSBURGH HERE.

TWO NIGHTS BEFORE
I GOT THE WHOLE FRONT LINE

OF THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS IN MY
HOUSE AND THEY ALL SAT DOWN,

"COME ON, COME ON, BREAK THE
SHIT OUT, BREAK THE SHIT OUT."

WE DON'T GET A CHANCE TO GET
INVOLVED IN ALL THE FESTIVITIES

AND ALL THE FUN AND THE PARTIES
'CAUSE WE HAVE CURFEWS.

THEY PARTIED,
AND THEY REALLY PARTIED HARD.

* HERE WE GO, STEELERS,
HERE WE GO *

I MEAN, YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT
THESE GUYS WERE DOPED WITH.

I'M SAYING, "YOU GUYS ARE
GONNA PLAY FOOTBALL SUNDAY?"

"YEAH, AND WE'RE GONNA WIN."

THEY WENT OUT AND WON,
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN,

IT DIDN'T AFFECT THEM.

WELL, OUR OFFENSIVE LINE
DID A GREAT JOB.

THE POPULARITY,
IT BEGAN TO SHOOT UP,

EVERYBODY THAT BEFORE
WAS DOING THESE POT THINGS

WAS NOW INTO DOING COCAINE.

WE STAYED
IN THE POT BUSINESS UNTIL

IT GOT TO THE POINT WHERE,
THERE WAS SO MUCH POT HERE

THAT YOU COULDN'T SELL IT.

Jon: AND YOU JUST COULDN'T
GET ENOUGH COCAINE.

I SAID THE BEST WAY TO DO IT
LOOKS TO ME

LIKE IF WE GOT
INTO THE TRANSPORTATION OF IT.

YOU'RE NOT BUYING IT,
YOU'RE NOT SELLING IT,

YOU'RE NOT USING IT,
YOU'RE JUST AN IMPORTER.

THE COLOMBIANS THREW
A NUMBER AT US

THAT WAS MORE THAN AGREEABLE.

$3,000 APIECE,

OR A KILO IN YOUR TERMS.

AND THEY WANTED TO MOVE
AT LEAST 400,

AND WE WENT DOWN THERE
AND THE FIRST TRIP,

WE GOT PAID $1.2 MILLION.

THAT WAS ENOUGH TO EXCITE US.

SAY, MAYBE WE'LL STAY
IN THIS TRADE FOR A WHILE.

THE PEOPLE
THAT I WAS DEALING WITH

HAD A LIMITED SUPPLY

AND AS THE PEOPLE
I WAS SELLING TO

EXPANDED THEIR BUSINESS,
I COULDN'T GET ENOUGH.

YOU KNOW, ONE GUY WOULD SAY,
I WANT 15 KILOS

OR 20 KILOS OR 25 KILOS,

I COULD ONLY GIVE HIM 15 OR 10,
THEN IT WAS MONEY

COMING OUT OF MY POCKET.

I COULD SELL 100 KILOS A WEEK,
EASILY.

I GOT LUCKY.
I THINK IN ABOUT 1979,

I MET THIS GIRL.

Woman: I FLEW TO MIAMI

AND I WAS WORKING ON A SHOOT
WITH A GIRL

AND SHE TOLD ME THAT
SHE HAD SOMEBODY FOR ME TO MEET.

A FRIEND OF MINE FIXED ME UP
WITH HER, HE WAS A LAWYER.

HE WAS DATING
THIS REALLY BEAUTIFUL GIRL

WHO WAS A MODEL FOR FORD.

AFTER I HAD KNOWN JON 3 MONTHS,
IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY,

AND I WENT INTO THE GARAGE
AND HE HAD A BRAND-NEW PORSCHE,

TARGA CARRERA PORSCHE.

AND IT HAD A HUGE BOW SITTING
ON TOP, A HUGE RED BOW FROM HIM.

BUT IT WAS KIND OF A WHIRLWIND
THING WITH JON AND I,

I MEAN, WE FELL VERY MUCH
IN LOVE. WE WERE--

THE STORY I GOT WAS THAT

HE HAD DISCOTHEQUES
IN MANHATTAN.

Jon: AS I STARTED DATING HER

OBVIOUSLY SHE SAW
I WASN'T WORKING.

WHENEVER I WANTED TO GO TO
NEW YORK I WAS IN NEW YORK,

AND SHE GOT CURIOUS.
I'M THE TYPE OF PERSON,

I'M PRETTY UPFRONT
AND SO I TOLD HER,

"HEY, THIS IS WHAT I DO.

"IF YOU DON'T WANNA
SEE ME ANYMORE, FINE."

SHE SAID
"NO, I HAVE A FRIEND

"AND HE IS A PILOT AND HE WORKS
FOR THESE COLOMBIANS."

SO THE GUY INTRODUCES HIMSELF,
HIS NAME IS MICKEY MUNDAY

AND HE'S LIKE
A REDNECK FROM FLORIDA

THAT'S BEEN HERE HIS WHOLE LIFE.

I WANNA SAY I DIDN'T LIKE HIM.

THE FIRST TIME I MEET JON,
HE'S DRIVING

THIS BLACK MERCEDES TWO-DOOR

THAT'S GOT "DRUG DEALER"
WRITTEN ALL OVER IT.

MICKEY MUNDAY HAD
A VERY SUCCESSFUL TRANSPORTATION

FOR THESE PEOPLE FOR MANY YEARS.

FLAMBOYANT, HE JUST
LOOKED LIKE SOMEBODY

THAT I DON'T WANNA HAVE
ANYTHING TO DO WITH.

I MEAN HE IS...
REMEMBER THE SHOW MACGYVER?

THAT'S...THAT'S THIS GUY.

HE COULD DO STUFF
THAT JUST WAS INCREDIBLE.

HE WAS A SHARP GUY BUT I JUST
DIDN'T LIKE HIS VEHICLES.

TO ME IT LOOKED LIKE
ALL THE OTHER GUYS

WHO WERE IN THE DRUG BUSINESS.

Jon: I TOLD HIM
I OUTGREW THE CUBANS

AND IT BECAME A NECESSITY
TO FIND A COLOMBIAN

THAT COULD SUPPLY
THE LARGE AMOUNTS

THAT WERE NEEDED AT THE TIME.

AND HE SAID, "WELL,
I'M GONNA HOOK YOU UP,

"I CAN TAKE YOU TO
THESE COLOMBIANS THAT I KNOW

"AND THIS GUY CAN GIVE YOU
WHATEVER YOU WANT."

AND I'D HEARD STORIES LIKE THAT
MANY TIMES,

SO I JUST SAID "SURE, WHENEVER
YOU'RE READY, LET ME KNOW."

AND WE DROVE
TO SUNNY ISLES, FLORIDA,

AND WE GO INTO THIS HOUSE,

THERE WAS ABOUT 5 OR 6
COLOMBIANS THERE

ALL LIKE LOADED TO BEAR--

WHEN I SAY LOADED,
THEY WERE STRAPPED.

THEY HAD PISTOLS, MACHINE GUNS,

AND THEY WERE ALL
STANDING AROUND

AND AT THAT POINT I REALIZED,
YOU KNOW, THIS GUY IS SERIOUS.

THIS IS FOR REAL, BECAUSE PEOPLE

JUST DON'T STAND AROUND
LIKE THAT.

AND I MEET THIS LITTLE GUY,

HE CAN'T BE MORE
THAN 5'4" OR 5'5"

AND HE INTRODUCES HIMSELF,
AND HE SAYS, "MY NAME IS RAFA."

AND HE'S TELLING ME,
"YOU KNOW, I CAN GIVE YOU

"WHATEVER YOU WANT, MAN.
AND IF YOU GOT SOME MONEY,

"UH, I'LL FRONT YOU
TWICE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY

"THAT YOU'VE COME WITH."

AND I SAID, "WELL, YOU KNOW,
SHOW ME SOMETHING."

HE TAKES ME INTO THIS BACK ROOM,
HE PUSHES A BUTTON

AND A WHOLE WALL
OPENS UP LIKE THIS

AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MUCH
COCAINE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE

JUST SITTING BEHIND THIS WALL.

I SAID, "OKAY, I GUESS
YOU CAN HELP ME, MAN."

I SAID, "GIVE ME A DAY AND
I'LL PUT TOGETHER THE MONEY

"AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL BE BACK."

THE NEXT DAY I CAME,
HE HAD AN AMERICAN GUY THERE

AND HE INTRODUCED THE AMERICAN,

AND HE SAID,
"THIS IS MY COMPADRE.

"YOU KNOW, I'M NOT IN TOWN A LOT

"BUT WHATEVER IT IS YOU NEED,
THIS IS THE MAN,

"HE'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU AND...

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT
HE'S...100%."

AND THE MAN HE INTRODUCED ME TO
HAPPENED TO BE THIS MAN

MAX MERMELSTEIN.

Toni: JON INTRODUCED ME TO MAX.

MAX WAS THE...AT THE TIME,
I THOUGHT A GOOD PERSON,

AND I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW,
A TRUSTED PERSON.

Toni: MAX SEEMED LIKE
A VERY NICE GUY BACK THEN.

HE SEEMED THAT WAY, ANYWAY.

Jon: IN THE BEGINNING
MAX WAS GIVING ME

LIKE 75, 100 KILOS A WEEK.

EVENTUALLY WHEN MAX SAW
I WAS SERIOUS

AND THIS WAS HAPPENING
EVERY WEEK,

WHEN YOU'RE BRINGING SOMEBODY
A MILLION DOLLARS EVERY WEEK,

ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU KNOW,
YOU GROW...

A BOND BECOMES BETWEEN PEOPLE.

AND MAX SAID, "I WANT YOU
TO DO MY END OF THE BUSINESS,

"GOING TO COLOMBIA,
ARRANGING THE TRIPS,

"AND IF YOU SPLIT IT WITH ME
YOU'RE GONNA MAKE MUCH MORE,

"AND YOU CAN CONTINUE
TO SUPPLY YOU WHOEVER YOU WANT."

AND MAX SENT ME TO COLOMBIA.

Reporter: THIS IS THE ENVIGADO
SECTION OF MEDELLÍN.

IT IS HERE THAT
THE COCAINE BOSSES MEET.

Jon: AND I WOULD HOOK UP
WITH RAFA

AND RAFA WOULD INTRODUCE ME TO
THE PEOPLE HE WAS WORKING WITH.

WE MET, YOU MIGHT SAY

THE ELITE OF THE DRUG BUSINESS
FROM COLOMBIA.

Jon: AND IT WOULD BE
THE OCHOAS, AND...

Mickey: PABLO ESCOBAR.
Jon: PEOPLE THAT YOU

READ ABOUT IN BOOKS.
CARLOS LEHDER.

YOU KNOW, HERE I WAS,
A KID FROM NEW YORK

NEVER THINKING THAT THIS
WOULD REALLY HAPPEN.

THEY MAKE IT SOUND
LIKE THEY HAD, YOU KNOW,

AN OFFICE THE SIZE OF THIS
WITH COMPUTERS

AND THEY GOT 40 SECRETARIES,
AND IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF

BUMS DOWN THERE, THEY WERE
A BUNCH OF STREET THUGS...

THAT GOT LUCKY.

LET'S BREAK IT DOWN
A DIFFERENT WAY

THAT PEOPLE IN AMERICA
COULD UNDERSTAND.

PEOPLE IN AMERICA ARE USED TO
ITALIANS AND THE MAFIA.

THE COLOMBIANS
HAVE THEIR OWN THING,

IT'S A MAFIA,
ONLY IT'S A COLOMBIAN MAFIA.

THERE WAS ONLY ONE FAMILY
AT THAT TIME THAT I KNEW.

AND THAT FAMILY
WAS FROM MEDELLÍN.

Man: THE OCHOA FAMILY

WAS A HIGHLY RESPECTED FAMILY
OF RANCHERS

WITH A GREAT DEAL OF INFLUENCE

IN THEIR HOME CITY
OF MEDELLÍN, COLOMBIA.

SO THEY HAVE, OF COURSE,

THE CAPTAIN
AND THE HEAD, THE CAPO.

WHICH WAS...
AS MANY PEOPLE WANNA BELIEVE

THAT PABLO ESCOBAR WAS THE KING
OF COCAINE AND EVERYTHING,

THEY CAN BELIEVE THAT,

BUT THE MAN THAT WAS
REALLY THE KING WAS OCHOA.

AND NOT FABITO, THE POOR MAN,
IT WAS THE OLD MAN.

THE OLD MAN WAS THE SILENT MAN
WHO NEVER DID A DAY IN JAIL

WHO REALLY CONTROLLED ESCOBAR.

TV: FABIO OCHOA, THE PATRIARCH
OF THE OCHOA FAMILY

OF THE MEDELLÍN CARTEL.

THEY ARE CREDITED
WITH HAVING CREATED

A LLOYD'S OF LONDON FOR THE
COCAINE TRADE IN COLOMBIA.

Jon: RAFA WAS LIKE A LIEUTENANT

AND RAFA REALLY CONTROLLED
ALMOST EVERY KILO OF COKE

THAT CAME INTO THIS COUNTRY.

THROUGH THE PEOPLE FROM
MEDELLÍN,

RAFA KNEW IT WAS COMING
AND RAFA KNEW

WHO WAS GETTING IT AND HOW MUCH
THEY WERE GETTING FOR EACH ONE.

AND HE MADE THESE PEOPLE...
I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW
MILLIONS ISN'T ENOUGH,

MILLIONS ISN'T WHAT HE MADE
THESE PEOPLE.

THERE WAS NOBODY
HIGHER THAN HIM

FOR THE MEDELLÍN CARTEL
IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND HE HAD MANY SOLDIERS,
JUST LIKE

THE MAFIA PEOPLE HAVE SOLDIERS
THAT WOULD WORK FOR HIM.

SOME OF THEM
WOULD SELL THE DRUGS,

SOME OF THEM WERE ENFORCERS.

HE HAD ACCOUNTANTS, LAWYERS.

Woman: SO IN YOUR VIEW,
THESE FELLAS

ARE NOT THE COCAINE COWBOYS?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

YOU KNOW, HE HAD EVERYTHING
IN THIS COUNTRY

AND THEY WERE
A WELL-FORMED GROUP.

Mickey: GUESS WHAT--
THEY'RE NOT ALL DIFFERENT PEOPLE

SENDING THE STUFF
AND IT'S ONE ORGANIZATION,

THE MEDELLÍN CARTEL.

Reporter: THE FEDS CHARGE
THE CARTEL CONTROLS 80%

OF THE COCAINE
COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES.

Man: FEDERAL AUTHORITIES SAY,
"THESE THREE MEN

"NOW RUN AN ORGANIZATION
MORE VIOLENT

"AND AT LEAST AS POWERFUL
AS THE AMERICAN MAFIA."

Jon: FROM MY EXPERIENCE
IN NEW YORK WITH MAFIA PEOPLE,

AND FROM MY EXPERIENCE
WITH THE COLOMBIANS,

THEY MADE FAR MORE MONEY,
THE COLOMBIANS,

IN A FAR SHORTER TIME

THAN THE MAFIA
EVER DREAMED OF MAKING EVER.

THE COLOMBIANS HAD FARMS,

FINCAS, THEY CALLED THEM,
JUST FILLED

WITH COCAINE DOWN THERE
'CAUSE THEY JUST KEPT PRODUCING.

THEY HAD GUYS
CHEWING LEAVES ALL NIGHT.

WORKING IN FACTORIES AND CHEWING
THE LEAVES, CHEWING THE LEAVES.

AND THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW,
THEY WORKED NONSTOP.

AND DOWN THERE,
THERE IS NO INDUSTRY.

THESE GUYS WERE MAKING
THEIR LIVING GROWING THIS.

THESE POOR FARMERS,
AND POOR WORKERS,

THEY WERE GETTING PAID A LOT OF
MONEY TO DO THIS STUFF.

AND IT WAS A WHOLE PROCESS,
IT WAS LIKE A FACTORY WORKING.

AND WE WORKED WITH
SHORTWAVE RADIOS AT THE TIME,

THERE WAS
NO TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION

LIKE PEOPLE YOU SEE ON THE
PHONES, IN THE MOVIES, YOU KNOW,

"HEY, WHAT'S GOING ON
DOWN THERE IN COLOMBIA?

"I NEED 600 KILOS."
IT...IT WASN'T LIKE THAT.

WE HAD ANTENNAS THAT WOULD
COME UP OUT OF THE GROUND

GO 80 FEET INTO THE AIR
FOR COMMUNICATION.

WE WOULD HAVE A CERTAIN TIME
THEY'D TURN THEIR SHORTWAVE ON

AND WE'D TURN ON OURS
AND WE WOULD TALK THAT WAY.

Reporter: ALSO AT THIS HOUR
IN MIAMI

ON A SHORTWAVE RADIO BAND

THAT MOST RADIOS
CANNOT PICK UP

THE CODED INSTRUCTIONS ARE
COMING IN FROM A TRANSMITTER

IN MEDELLÍN, COLOMBIA,

FROM MEMBERS OF
THE WORLD'S LARGEST

COCAINE SMUGGLING ORGANIZATION.

[MAN SPEAKING SPANISH ON RADIO]
Reporter: THE CATTLE IS READY,

THE CATTLE IS READY.

[MAN SPEAKING SPANISH ON RADIO]
Reporter: AT 8 O'CLOCK.

8 FOR THE FIRST ONE.

Jon: AND THAT'S HOW
WE WOULD SET UP THE TRIPS

AND WE WERE CONTRACTED ACTUALLY
BY THE COLOMBIANS.

I WOULD MAKE ARRANGEMENTS
WITH THEM

AND THEY WOULD TELL ME,
"OKAY, THERE'S 1000 KILOS.

"COME PICK IT UP."

Mickey: OVER THE MOUNTAINS, DOWN
AND SLIDE THROUGH A VALLEY

SO NOBODY WOULD SEE YOU.

AND YOU NEVER HAD
A PROBLEM LANDING

YOU NEVER HAD A PROBLEM
TAKING OFF.

IT WAS ALL PAID DOWN THERE,
THE GOVERNMENT WORKED WITH THEM,

AND WE WOULD SEND
THE PLANE DOWN THERE.

THE COLOMBIANS
REALLY DIDN'T HAVE...

AND I'LL SAY IT, THEY DIDN'T
HAVE THEIR SHIT TOGETHER.

99% OF THE STRIPS WE WENT TO

WERE DIRT, GRASS,
THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED THERE.

THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE WOULD
TAKE OUR OWN EQUIPMENT.

AND YOU WOULD SEE,
WHEN YOU GET THERE,

THE WRECKED AIRPLANES--
NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

THE PLANE WOULD LAND,
THEY WOULD SPEND THE NIGHT.

AND YOU WOULD LAND THERE
AND THEY WOULD SAY,

"OH, YOU WANNA STAY
OR YOU WANT A WOMAN?

"IF YOU WANT MY LITTLE SISTER,
YOU'RE GONNA GET HER, RIGHT?

"YOU WANT SOMETHING TO DRINK?"

I GO, "YEAH, I REALLY WANT TO
DRINK AND GET BACK IN THIS PLANE

"AND FLY FOR ANOTHER 12 HOURS
DRUNK. RIGHT.

"THE WOMAN DIDN'T SOUND BAD."

Jon: THE NEXT THING
WOULD BE LOADING.

Mickey: THERE'S TWO WAYS
TO COME BACK FROM DOWN THERE.

IF YOU'RE FLYING,
YOU COULD COME AROUND

THE EAST SIDE OF CUBA,
WHICH IS THE SHORTER,

OR YOU CAN COME AROUND
THE WEST SIDE.

IF YOU HAD A LOT OF FUEL, THE
WEST SIDE WAS ACTUALLY BETTER

BECAUSE ALMOST EVERYTHING
THAT WAS HAPPENING

CAME FROM THE BAHAMAS.

SO IF THEY WERE PATROLLING,

THAT WOULD BE WHERE
THEY WOULD BE,

YOU'RE GONNA GO
WHERE MOST OF THE ACTION IS.

SO WE WOULD COME FROM THE WEST,
NOBODY WOULD THINK OF YOU THERE.

Reporter: APPARENTLY
HEAVY SURVEILLANCE

AND STRICTER ENFORCEMENT
ON FLORIDA'S EAST COAST

IS DRIVING SMUGGLERS
TO THE DESOLATE WEST COAST

TO MAKE THEIR CONNECTIONS.

WE WOULD POP THE COAST
MAYBE OVER BY MARCO ISLAND,

FLY ALMOST
ALL THE WAY TO GEORGIA,

THEN TURN AROUND AND FLY BACK.

NOW WE LOOK LIKE
SOMEBODY COMING SOUTH.

NOBODY COMING FROM
THE NORTH SOUTH

IS DOING ANYTHING ILLEGAL.

Jon: YOU COULD MOVE
62,000 DEAD BODIES

IN A PLANE
IN THE UNITED STATES

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY
PLANES THERE ARE

IN THE AIR AT ONE TIME

BUT THERE'S NO CHECKING.

YOU CAN LAND IN A SMALL AIRPORT

AND THEY DON'T HAVE POLICE
AT EVERY AIRPORT,

"HEY, WHAT'S IN YOUR PLANE?"

Mickey: WE WOULD MAKE IT LOOK
LIKE WE WERE GOING INTO

ONE OF THE LOCAL AIRPORTS,

AND WHAT WE WOULD DO
IS MAKE A FLYBY AND HEAD WEST.

WE'D BOUGHT
SOME PROPERTY IN LAKELAND.

WE BUILT TWO RUNWAYS THERE,

PUT UP A COUPLE OF BARNS
THAT WERE REALLY HANGARS.

THEY LOOKED LIKE BARNS.

AND WHEN YOU'D OPEN UP
THE HAYLOFT DOOR,

YOU WOULD SEE THAT IT WAS SHAPED
TO THE TAIL OF AN AIRPLANE.

I WOULD USE A 5, 6, 8-YEAR-OLD
FAMILY CAR...

AND WE WOULD LOAD 300 PIECES

AND WE WOULD PUT AIR SHOCKS
ON THE CAR

SO THAT THE CAR
WOULDN'T FALL TO THE GROUND

AND WE'D USE A TOW TRUCK
TO TOW THE VEHICLE BACK.

WE HAD A TOWING COMPANY
THAT WE'D FORMED

AND WE BOUGHT A GAS STATION
AND A GARAGE DOWN HERE IN MIAMI.

Mickey: AND THE GUY WITH THE TOW
TRUCK WOULD HAVE A WORK ORDER.

Jon: WE HAD A DRIVER WHO
OBVIOUSLY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON

BUT WAS TOLD,
"YOU GET PULLED OVER

"AND THEY OPEN THE TRUNK
OF THE CAR, YOU DON'T KNOW."

IF YOU'RE DRIVING THE VEHICLE
IT'S KIND OF HARD NOT TO KNOW

WHAT'S IN THE TRUNK, BUT THE GUY
IN THE TOW TRUCK WOULD NOT KNOW.

YOU DON'T KNOW, YOU'RE
CONTRACTED TO TOW THE CAR.

Mickey: HE HOOKED UP
AND AWAY HE WENT.

Jon: LET THEM TAKE THE CAR AND
LET THEM TAKE HEAT DOWN THERE

BUT THEY CAN'T HOLD YOU, YOU'VE
GOT THE BILL AND EVERYTHING.

WE WOULD GET A CARAVAN,
WITH TWO OR THREE CARS GOING.

WE WOULD USE ONE CAR IN FRONT

AS A SPOTTER,
AND ONE CAR BEHIND.

THEY WOULD BRING THEM INTO MIAMI
AND WE DID THAT FOR...

6, 7 YEARS, NEVER HAD
ONE LITTLE PROBLEM AT ALL.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES
OF LAKELAND,

I MEAN, THERE WAS ALWAYS
PEOPLE BEING STOPPED

GOING FROM MIAMI NORTH

BUT YOU NEVER HEARD OF ANYBODY
EVER BEING STOPPED COMING SOUTH.

MICKEY AND THEM
STARTED TO DO AIR DROPS.

Mickey: I BUILT ME A SMALL
BOAT FACTORY TO PLAY WITH.

WE DECIDED TO DO COLOMBIA
UP TO THE BAHAMAS,

AIR-DROP IT TO BOATS.

Jon: AND THEY HAD BEACONS
THAT THEY WOULD DROP,

AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO KNOW
EXACTLY WHERE THE LOAD WAS

BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE
A FREQUENCY

THAT WOULD SEND BACK
TO WHERE IT WAS.

THE MIDDLE CONSOLE
WOULD OPEN UP,

THEY PUT HOLES
IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOAT,

AND YOU WOULD FILL THEM UP.

Mickey: AND THEN BRING IT IN
WITH BOATS.

THE BIG PROBLEM AT FIRST
WAS THE PACKAGING OF THE PRODUCT

WHICH WAS A FIASCO
BECAUSE THE COLOMBIANS,

BEING SUCH WONDERFUL PEOPLE
IN ORGANIZATION,

SCREWED IT UP FOR TWO TRIPS.

IT WOULD GET SEEPAGE,
THERE WOULD BE SALT WATER

THAT WOULD GET INTO IT,
AND IT REALLY KILLS COKE.

SALT WATER IS REALLY
AN ENEMY OF COKE.

MICKEY WAS DETERMINED
THAT HE COULD STOP THE LEAKAGE

AND TOLD THEM HOW TO WRAP IT.

Mickey: I SENT TAPE RECORDINGS,
I SENT PICTURES OF IT,

STEP BY STEP
AS TO HOW TO DO THIS.

YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, YOU'RE
NOT GONNA TELL A COLOMBIAN

HOW TO DO ANYTHING.

SO MICKEY COULD TALK FROM TODAY
TILL TOMORROW AND THE COLOMBIANS

AREN'T GONNA DO
WHAT HE TELLS THEM TO DO ANYWAY.

Mickey: WELL, MY GUYS GO DOWN,
PICK UP THE STUFF,

THEY COME BACK ON THE TRIP...

AND IT'S NOT PACKAGED.
IT WAS JUST LIKE IT ALWAYS IS.

AND THEY'D THROW IT OUT THE
DOOR,

MORE THAN HALF OF IT
BUSTED UP,

AND THEY LOST
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T
PACKAGE IT RIGHT.

SO BY THEIR STUPIDITY,
IT WOULD GET WATER DAMAGE.

Mickey: AND THEY WERE
ALL BENT OUT OF SHAPE AT ME.

BUT THEY COULDN'T BLAME ME,
THAT'S THEIR PROBLEM.

"HEY, IT'S YOUR PROBLEM."

IT WASN'T TILL THE THIRD TRIP
THAT IT WORKED

AND THEN IT WORKED
AND WORKED AND WORKED.

SOMETIMES I WOULD RUN
WHAT WE CALLED THE FRONT DOOR.

THE FRONT DOOR WOULD BE
THE ENTRANCE AT HAULOVER.

WE WOULD CALL IT
THE FRONT DOOR.

YOU CAN'T SAY "WELL,
YOU'RE COMING IN AT HAULOVER."

SO YOU'D COME IN
IN THE FRONT DOOR.

IT'S A CODE OF SORTS.

AT HAULOVER INLET,
I'D RENTED AN APARTMENT

ON THE 12TH FLOOR
ON THE NORTHEAST CORNER

CALLED THE HARBOUR HOUSE

WHICH HAS A SPECTACULAR VIEW
OF THE INLET.

AND I PUT A YOUNG LADY THERE,
I PAID HER TO LIVE THERE,

PAID FOR THE APARTMENT.

AND WHENEVER WE DID A TRIP

SHE HAS AN UNBELIEVABLE
SET OF BINOCULARS

AND OF COURSE SHE HAS A RADIO.

AND WE FOUND EVERY
RADIO FREQUENCY WE COULD HAVE

AGAINST WHAT WE'LL CALL
THE COMPETITION.

THE U.S. CUSTOMS,
THE LOCAL MARINE PATROL.

WE WOULD KNOW
IF THEY WERE THERE LISTENING.

SO CAME HOME ONE TIME,
I'M IN A BOAT.

SOMETIMES I WAS WITH THE GUYS
WORKING IN THE FRONT DOOR

OR IN THE APARTMENT.

THIS PARTICULAR TIME
I'M IN A BOAT,

I'M TALKING TO MY FRIENDS
IN THE APARTMENT.

LO AND BEHOLD, HERE COMES
THIS U.S. CUSTOMS

AND U.S. COASTGUARD
AND THE GUY'S GOT AN M16 RIFLE.

WE DIDN'T THINK THEY WERE AFTER
US BUT THEY WERE CHECKING BOATS.

AND I'M IN A BOAT THAT'S LOADED!

BUT WHEN HE PULLS UP
ALONGSIDE OF ME,

THE MOTOR ON HIS BOAT'S GOING

BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG
BANG, BANG, BANG!

I SAID, "JEEZ, THAT SOUNDS
TERRIBLE."

AND HE SAYS, "AH, IT'S BEEN
DOING THAT SINCE YESTERDAY."

OH, OH, GOD!

AND HE TURNS AROUND AND HE DON'T
GET 100 FEET FROM ME

AND THERE'S KIND OF A...BOOM!

I THOUGHT HE SHOT
THE RIFLE OR SOMETHING

AND IT WAS...
IT CAUGHT THE WAVE JUST PERFECT,

THE PISTON COMES OUT THROUGH
THE SIDE OF THE MOTOR

AND SKIPS ON THE WAVE. LOOKED
LIKE SOME KID THROWING A ROCK.

AND A BIG FLAME, PSHOOM!
OUT THE SIDE,

JUST LIGHTS EVERYTHING UP,
AND I GO, "GOD DAMN!"

AND THEY'RE ON THE RADIO
AND THEY CAN'T GET ANYONE.

AND THIS WAS WITH
SUPERIOR EQUIPMENT,

AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT THESE
GUYS. I SAID,

"DO YOU GUYS NEED A TOW?"

AND I THREW THEM A LINE
AND THEY GOT ON MY BOAT

AND I TOWED THE U.S. COASTGUARD

AND THE U.S. CUSTOMS,
BUT WE WERE IN A BOAT

THAT HAD 350, 400 KILOS IN IT.

THE YOUNG LADY
WHO WAS UP IN THE APARTMENT

SAID ONLY I WOULD--

ANYBODY ELSE WOULD HAVE PANICKED
AND PROBABLY JUMPED OVERBOARD.

FROM THERE WE WERE GOING UP

TO THE ENTRANCE
TO MAULE LAKE MARINA

WHERE I HAD SEVERAL
SLIPS THAT I RENTED.

THEN THE NEXT DAY
MY TOW TRUCK WOULD SHOW UP

WITH A WORK ORDER AND A TRAILER.

MY SHOP WAS ONLY LIKE
FOUR BLOCKS AWAY.

THE BOAT WOULD GO IN THERE
AND WE WOULD GO IN THE BACK,

OPEN UP THE COMPARTMENT AND
LOAD THE STUFF INTO THE CARS.

ALL THE MERCHANDIZE
WOULD BE HANDED TO ME.

I HAD DIFFERENT
STASH HOUSES IN MIAMI,

I USED NORMAL PEOPLE,

WORKING PEOPLE
THAT WANTED EXTRA MONEY.

I WOULD TRY TO FIND SOMEONE
IN A DECENT NEIGHBORHOOD

THAT REALLY DIDN'T USE THE DRUG,

BECAUSE I MADE A FEW MISTAKES
WHERE I WOULD GO

AND I WOULD FIND LIKE, YOU KNOW,
HOLES IN THE DIFFERENT KILOS

WHERE PEOPLE WOULD
POP A STRAW IN, I GUESS,

AND THERE WERE HOLES
LIKE A RAT GOT INTO IT.

AND IT WASN'T IN ONE, IT WOULD
BE IN FIVE DIFFERENT ONES

SO THAT MAYBE THERE WAS A GRAM
OR TWO MISSING FROM EACH ONE.

I WOULD PULL INTO THE GARAGE
WITH THESE CARS,

I WOULD TAKE THE PRODUCT OUT.

EVERY HOUSE HAD TO HAVE
A GARAGE OBVIOUSLY,

'CAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY KILOS
GOING IN AND OUT OF THE HOUSE

YOU COULDN'T JUST START
UNLOADING IT IN THE STREET.

I WOULD COUNT IT, MAKE SURE
THAT EVERYTHING WAS THERE,

DO IT ALL DURING THE DAY,
I NEVER WORKED AT NIGHT.

EACH PRODUCT WAS MARKED
WITH A MARKING.

MAYBE 300 WOULD HAVE BICYCLES

AND 200 WOULD HAVE EYE GLASSES.

AND EACH ONE WENT
TO A CERTAIN GROUP,

THERE WAS THREE, FOUR...
FOUR DIFFERENT GROUPS.

AND I HAD GUYS DRIVING THE CARS

TO SAY A DENNY'S

OR UNCLE TOM'S RIBS

AND WHOEVER DROVE THE CAR THERE
WOULD GO INSIDE

AND THERE'D BE
A COLOMBIAN INSIDE

AND HE'D JUST HAND HIM THE KEYS.

IT WAS ALWAYS DELIVERED
TO COLOMBIANS.

BECAUSE THEY HAD BROUGHT THEIR
OWN COLOMBIANS HERE TO SELL IT.

AND THAT WAS IT, THERE WAS NEVER

THIS MIAMI VICE RIDICULOUSNESS
IN THE STREET

WHERE CARS WOULD PULL UP
WITH GUNS AND EVERYTHING,

"LET ME SEE
WHAT YOU GOT IN THE TRUNK,

"I'M GONNA CHECK IT OUT
AND DO TESTS AND BRING IT BACK."

IT...IT DOESN'T WORK LIKE THAT.

THESE PEOPLE ARE CONTROLLED
BY THE PEOPLE DOWN THERE.

SO IT WASN'T LIKE
THEY HAD A CHOICE,

THEY WERE TAKING IT ANYWAY

WHETHER IT WAS GARBAGE
OR WHETHER IT WAS GOOD,

THEY WERE TAKING IT.

THE PEOPLE THAT I GAVE IT TO

WERE WHOLESALERS.

THOSE WHOLESALERS
WOULD BREAK IT DOWN

INTO 25, 50, 75,
WHATEVER THEIR DIFFERENT...

RETAILERS DESIRED.

I REMEMBER KILOS GOING
FOR $40,000, $50,000

IN THE STREET BACK THEN.

THEY WOULD PAY US
FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE KILOS.

AND BACK THEN
I THINK THAT WE WERE GETTING

$3500 A KILO.

AND WHAT I WOULD DO TO MAKE SURE
WE GOT OUR MONEY WAS

WE WOULD ONLY DELIVER HALF

AND THEY WOULD PUT
THE MONEY IN THE TRUNK

AND THEN
THEY WOULD RETURN THE CAR,

I WOULD THEN GIVE THEM
THE REST OF THE PRODUCT.

SO WHAT WE TRIED TO DO WAS KEEP
EVERYBODY AWAY FROM EVERYBODY

AND THAT WAY THERE WAS NO WAY
TO TRACE IT BACK.

THAT WAS MY BIGGEST FEAR,
THAT THESE WHOLESALERS

WHO WERE GIVING IT TO FOUR AND
FIVE DIFFERENT RETAILERS,

ONE OF THEIR GUYS
WOULD GET BUSTED

AND HE DIDN'T WANNA GO TO JAIL
SO HE WOULD FLIP

AND HE MIGHT TELL THEM,
YOU KNOW,

"THIS IS MY MAIN GUY OVER HERE,

"FOLLOW HIM AND YOU'RE GONNA
FOLLOW HIM BACK TO ME."

I HEAR STORIES FROM RAFA LIKE,
"I GOTTA GO KILL THIS GUY

"BECAUSE THIS GUY GOT BUSTED
AND HE'S GONNA RAT ON MY GUY."

AND, YOU KNOW, I'D HEAR
ALL THESE WEIRD STORIES

SO WHAT I TRIED TO DO WAS
MAKE MYSELF

NEVER NEED ANYBODY.

'CAUSE THEY WERE GETTING A CAR,

THEY DIDN'T KNOW
WHERE THE CAR CAME FROM

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
HERE'S A CAR.

AND YOU NEVER
BROUGHT THE CAR BACK

TO WHERE YOU HAD THE COKE
'CAUSE YOU NEVER WANTED

TO HAVE MONEY AND DRUGS
IN THE SAME PLACE,

AND THE MONEY WOULD STAY THERE
IN ONE OF THE STASH HOUSES.

OUT OF THAT MONEY,
I WOULD TAKE MY MONEY

AND PUT THE REST AWAY

'CAUSE I WOULD HAVE TO SEND BACK

OCHOAS AND ESCOBAR THEIR MONEY.

AT THAT TIME WE WERE WORKING
WITH NORIEGA IN PANAMA.

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

Reporter:
GENERAL NORIEGA'S COUNTRY

IS A MECCA FOR DRUG MONEY
LAUNDERING.

Jon: SO THE MONEY WOULD BE PUT
ON ONE OF OUR PLANES

AND WE WOULD FLY THE PLANE
FROM HERE TO NORIEGA'S PEOPLE.

[SPEAKING ENGLISH]

Jon: BECAUSE WE WOULD
NEVER SEND A PLANE

WITH LESS THAN $10 MILLION.

Reporter: UNLIMITED AMOUNTS
OF MONEY MAY BE BROUGHT

INTO AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY
WITH NO REPORTING REQUIREMENTS,

AND MONEY LAUNDERING
IS NOT A CRIME.

Jon: THE MONEY WOULD BE
TAKEN OFF THERE BY THE ARMY

AND THE ARMY
WOULD TAKE IT TO A BANK

AND WE WERE PARTNERS IN THE BANK
WITH NORIEGA,

AND THEY SET UP ACCOUNTS
AND YOU HAD AN ACCOUNT

AND JUST...WHATEVER YOU WANTED

YOU WROTE A CHECK FOR IT.

A LOT OF TIMES
I WOULD MAKE A DEAL WHERE

INSTEAD OF PAYING ME THE CASH,

OUT OF THIS 500 KILOS,

GIVE ME 100 FOR MYSELF

AND I COULD SELL IT FOR 25,000.

SO AS THE LOADS WOULD COME
I'D BE GOING THROUGH THEM

PULLING OUT THE BEST ONES

BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T
ALL THE SAME,

AND I'D BE THROWING THEM
OVER HERE

AND THROWING THEM OVER HERE.
IT ENDED UP WHERE MAX AND I

WERE MAKING LIKE VERY TRIP,
$750,000, $1,000,000,

AND MAX WAS SAYING
"WOW, I USED TO JUST MAKE,

"YOU KNOW, 250
FROM JUST THE TRANSPORTATION."

SO NOT ONLY
DID HE PLUG HIMSELF IN

WHERE HE COULD SIT HOME
ON HIS FAT ASS,

HE PLUGGED HIMSELF INTO

LIKE THREE TIMES
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY EVERY WEEK.

AND THE DRUGS...WERE EVERYWHERE.

EVERYBODY
STARTED USING COCAINE.

I MEAN, I REMEMBER IN THE '80S
IT WAS LIKE...PHEW!

COCAINE
WAS THE IN THING BACK THEN.

IT WAS THE CHICHI THING TO DO.

Jon: YOU KNOW,
YOU'D GO SOMEWHERE,

I MEAN, YOU COULDN'T
GO ANYWHERE

WITHOUT GOING INTO A BATHROOM
AND...

I MEAN, YOU GO IN THE BATHROOM,
THERE WAS ALWAYS

SOMEBODY IN THERE DOING A LINE.

YOU HEAR THE DOOR SLAM,
ONE OF THOSE TOILET DOORS

AND BEHIND THE DOOR...
[SNIFFING]

AND EVERYBODY'S
PUTTING SHIT UP THEIR NOSE.

Mickey: YOU WOULD SEE GUYS

COMING OUT OF THE GIRLS'
BATHROOM.

THERE WERE CLUBS
WHERE THE TABLES

WERE ACTUALLY MIRROR TOPS.

I RECALL WAITERS
HELPING PATRONS CHOP UP COCAINE.

Edna: THERE WAS A TIME IN MIAMI
WHEN THERE WERE CAR ACCIDENTS,

THESE WOULD JUST BE
ROUTINE ACCIDENTS,

SOMETIMES THERE'D BE 3 OR 4 OR 5
OF THEM IN THE VEHICLE,

THEY'D JUMP OUT AND RUN
IN ALL DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

AND YOU'D FIND COCAINE
AND GUNS IN THE CAR.

Policeman: THEY PULLED
THIS ONE OVER AND THEY FOUND

30 DUFFEL BAGS
FILLED WITH 2100 PLUS POUNDS

OF 90% to 95% PURE COCAINE.

Man: BUT WHILE BUSTS AND
SEIZURES OF MOST DRUGS ARE UP,

THERE IS MORE COCAINE IN
SOUTH FLORIDA THEN EVER BEFORE.

WE WENT FROM HAVING CASES
OF A KILO OR 2 KILOS OF COCAINE

TO 1,000 KILOS,
WHICH IS A TONNE OF COCAINE,

TO 5,000 KILOS,
WHICH IS 10 TONS OF COCAINE.

THERE WAS A PERIOD OF TIME
WHERE OVER A 5-YEAR PERIOD,

I TRIED THE "LARGEST AMOUNT OF
COCAINE IN HISTORY" CASE

10 TIMES.

EVERY CASE WAS BIGGER THAN
THE LAST ONE

AND A NEW RECORD.

USUALLY,
WHEN PRICES OF GOODS FALL,

THIS COMES AS GOOD NEWS.

AN EXCEPTION ARE THE CURRENT
BARGAIN RATES FOR COCAINE.

THERE WERE
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF DRUGS

DROPPING OUT OF THE AIR.

THERE WAS ONE DAY THAT
A PREACHER WAS GIVING A SERMON

IN A SOUTH STATE CHURCH
AND ONE OF THE THINGS

HE WAS SPEAKING OUT AGAINST
WAS DRUGS

AND HALF A MILLION DOLLARS
IN COCAINE

CAME CRASHING
THROUGH THE ROOF

BECAUSE THE PLANE
THAT WAS DROPPING IT

GOT OFF COURSE

AND IT WAS BEING CHASED
BY A CUSTOMS PLANE.

Man: THE PRICE FOR
THE ILLEGAL WHITE POWDER

IN SOUTH FLORIDA HAS FALLEN
BY 50% IN THE LAST 2 YEARS.

Jon: OH, MY GOD!
YOU GOT THESE PEOPLE FROM CALI,

YOU GOT ANOTHER CARTEL
FROM BARRANQUILLA,

YOU STARTED TO MULTIPLY
ALL THE COCAINE

THAT WAS COMING
INTO THIS COUNTRY.

Woman: THE MIAMI-COLOMBIAN
CONNECTION

IS 80% OF A $20 BILLION
ANNUAL COCAINE BUSINESS.

MIAMI IS ONE OF THE
PRINCIPAL BRANCH OFFICES

OF WHAT CAN BE CALLED
COCAINE, INC.

FLORIDA IS AWASH IN COCAINE.

IT WAS EVERYWHERE.
IT WAS EVERYWHERE.

IT WAS EVERYWHERE.
Jon: CLUBS, RESTAURANTS,

IT WAS JUST EVERYWHERE.

Reporter: THE ELITIST DRUG
IS TURNING BLUE COLLAR.

REGULAR MIDDLE CLASS FOLKS
THINK OF IT AS BEER OR POPCORN.

ONE OUT OF TEN AMERICAN WORKERS
ON THE JOB IS STONED.

PEOPLE WOULD WEAR IT
ON THEIR NECK, NOBODY HID IT.

NOBODY TRIED TO HIDE IT.

I MEAN I TRIED IT,
OF COURSE I TRIED IT,

BUT I COULD NEVER FIGURE OUT

WHAT PEOPLE...
WHY DID THEY LIKE IT.

Man: IT IS SO INTENSE,
I CAN'T EVEN DESCRIBE IT.

IT'S THE BEST, IT REALLY IS.

PEOPLE WENT CRAZY FOR IT.

Reporter: IN DADE COUNTY ALONE,
FATAL DRUG OVERDOSES

HAVE INCREASED MORE THAN 88%
IN JUST THE LAST 12 MONTHS.

Reporter: 15 YEARS AGO
ONE COKE-RELATED DEATH A YEAR

WAS RARE.
COCAINE DEATHS IN DADE COUNTY

HAVE NOW JUMPED TO ABOUT
TWO A WEEK.

PEOPLE STARTED SMOKING IT.

Reporter: STUDIES INDICATE
THAT MOST COCAINE USERS HERE

HAVE SWITCHED
TO SMOKING THE DRUG.

DID YOU COME HERE
TO SMOKE COCAINE?

YEAH.

AND NOT THE CRACK
BUT FREEBASING,

BECAUSE FREEBASING
CAME BEFORE CRACK.

IT BECAME A RAGE,
PEOPLE WOULD

LOCK THEMSELVES IN HOUSES
AND FREEBASE.

AND I STAYED UP FOR ALMOST
FOUR AND A HALF DAYS STRAIGHT,

NONSTOP, NO FOOD, NO SLEEP.

I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
BUT I KEPT, "DO IT, DO IT."

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
FOR ME IT WAS JUST A BUSINESS,

AND THE MORE THEY DID,
THE MORE MONEY I WAS MAKING.

I CAME DOWN HERE
WITH $750 OR $800.

THAT'S WHAT I HAD TO MY NAME.

I WAS, UH, 25 YEARS OLD,
26 YEARS OLD.

I REMEMBER WHEN I FIRST
STARTED IN THE BUSINESS,

I USED MY GRANDFATHER'S
APARTMENT ON SOUTH BEACH.

I USED TO HAVE KILOS
IN HIS APARTMENT

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET
THE FIRST TIME HE LOOKED AT THEM

AND HE SAID, "WHAT IS THIS?"
AND I TOLD HIM WHAT IT WAS

AND HE SAID,
"I CAN'T UNDERSTAND."

I SAID, "CAN YOU UNDERSTAND
LIKE, YOU KNOW,

"I'M MAKING LIKE
50 GRAND A WEEK?"

I REMEMBER ONE TIME
I WENT TO HIM AND SAID,

"YOU KNOW SOMETHING, I'M NOT
GONNA USE YOUR HOUSE ANYMORE.

"I'M GONNA PAY SOMEBODY."
AND HE SAID,

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN? DON'T
DO THAT, DON'T DO THAT."

AND I SAID, "IT'S OKAY,
I GOT A MILLION DOLLARS NOW."

AND HE SAID, "YOU DON'T HAVE
A MILLION DOLLARS."

I SAID, "I GOT A MILLION DOLLARS
NOW, I'M GONNA PAY SOMEBODY

"TO PUT STUFF IN THEIR HOUSE.

"I DON'T NEED
TO DO THIS TO YOU ANYMORE."

'CAUSE AT THAT TIME A MILLION
DOLLARS TO ME

WAS A LOT OF MONEY.

IT WAS THE FIRST MILLION
YOU EVER MAKE

SO IT'S A LOT OF MONEY,
BUT AFTER THAT IT WAS LIKE...

Man: IN THE MID TO LATE '70S

MUCH OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY
WAS IN A STATE OF SHAMBLES.

2nd Man: THE FINANCIAL PAGES
OF THE MIAMI HERALD

WERE TALKING ABOUT A NATIONWIDE
RECESSION THAT WAS IN PROGRESS.

Man: UNEMPLOYMENT WAS HUGE,
PEOPLE WERE LOSING THEIR HOMES,

THE REAL ESTATE MARKET
WENT TO HELL.

THE DRUG TRADE IS RAPIDLY
AFFECTING OUR ECONOMY

HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

BUT IN MIAMI
YOU COULDN'T BUY A HOUSE.

IN MIAMI THEY COULDN'T GET

ENOUGH GOLD ROLEXES
TO SUPPLY THE LOCAL MARKET.

Reporter: FOR THE FIRST 6 MONTHS
OF 1977, RETAIL SALES IN MIAMI

TOPPED $10 BILLION.

Reporter: NO SIGN
OF RECESSION HERE.

SOUTH FLORIDA HAS HELD UP
BETTER THAN

SOME OF THE OTHER PARTS
OF THE COUNTRY.

IN MIAMI, WE WERE SELLING
BULLETPROOF CARS

FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS.

YOU COULDN'T GET A FERRARI
OR A MERCEDES AT ALL.

Man: SOME OF THE CAR DEALERS
WE CHECKED WITH

SAID THEY HAVE LESS THAN A
ONE-MONTH SUPPLY OF UNSOLD CARS.

THEY'D SAID THEY ARE STILL
TAKING DEPOSITS

THOUGH DELIVERIES
WILL BE DELAYED.

THEY WERE ALL GOING TO
THE DRUG-"DEALER" MARKET.

DRUGS AND MONEY, THEY GO
HAND IN HAND IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

IT'S A $7 BILLION A YEAR
RETAIL BUSINESS,

THAT'S ABOUT $12,000 FOR EACH
HOUSEHOLD IN DADE COUNTY.

IF YOU REACH IN YOUR WALLET
IN MIAMI

AND TAKE OUT A BILL
AND ANALYZE THAT BILL,

YOU WILL FIND COCAINE ON IT.

Reporter: THE PROFITS
FOR THE DRUG LORDS

HAVE MADE THE LOCAL ECONOMY
RECESSION RESISTANT.

EVERY DAY, CASH POURS INTO
OUR COCAINE ECONOMY.

Man: BUYING REAL ESTATE,

BOATS, CARS.

Jon: I HAD A TURBO PORSCHE,

I HAD A MERCEDES, BACK THEN
THE 6.9 WAS THE HOT CAR.

WE HAD AN ARGUMENT ONE TIME.

WE GOT MAD AT EACH OTHER
AND SHE WANTED SOMETHING

AND I WOULDN'T GIVE IT TO HER.

Toni: I WALKED OVER
AND SLAPPED HIM ACROSS THE FACE.

SHE CHASED ME
AROUND THE DRIVEWAY

AND WE TOOK TWO MERCEDES
AND JUST SMASHED THEM TO DEATH.

JON PULLED OUT A GUN
AND SHOT AT THE CAR

THROUGH THE...
RIGHT NEXT TO MY HEAD.

Jon: I HAD TO HAVE SOMEBODY COME
PICK THEM UP ON WRECKERS

AND DESTROY THEM!

WE DEMOLISHED BOTH VEHICLES.

AND THEN I'D LAUGH ABOUT IT
THE NEXT DAY.

WE WRECKED A LOT OF THINGS.

JESUS, THAT WAS $100,000
WORTH OF CARS, YOU KNOW.

AT THAT TIME THERE WAS A COMPANY
CALLED LP EVANS MERCEDES.

HE HAD GUYS LIKE MAX, RAFAEL,
TWO OR THREE OF RAFAEL'S WORKERS

BUYING LIKE ON AN AVERAGE, WHAT?
8, 10 MERCEDES A YEAR

FROM THE MERCEDES DEALER
WITH A CHECK FROM PANAMA.

I MEAN WHO BUYS
8, 10 MERCEDES A YEAR?

THEY DIDN'T CARE BACK THEN.

THEY WOULD LET ME WALK IN
"OH, HOW ARE YOU MR. ROBERTS?

"WHAT DO YOU NEED THIS WEEK?"

"I NEED THE 6.9 OVER THERE."

"OKAY, IS IT ALL RIGHT
IN BLACK?"

"YEAH, HE DON'T CARE
WHAT COLOR IT IS.

"AND I NEED A STATION WAGON
FOR HIS GIRLFRIEND."

AND I'D JUST WRITE HIM A CHECK.

IT WASN'T EVEN
A CASHIER'S CHECK.

I KNEW THE GUY
IN THE MERCEDES DEALER,

IT WAS JUST A CHECK
DRAWN FROM A PANAMANIAN BANK,

OUT OF THE DOOR
WOULD GO THE CAR.

Man: RELATIVELY LITTLE
IS BEING DONE

TO STOP THIS DISEASE-LIKE SPREAD
OF THE COCAINE ECONOMY.

EVERYBODY WANTED MONEY
BACK THEN.

Man: IT'S NOT UNUSUAL FOR A
LATIN TO SPEND $20,000 AND MORE

FOR ALL KINDS OF MERCHANDISE.

AND BEST OF ALL FOR THE
MERCHANT, HE PAYS IN CASH.

IF SOUTH FLORIDA BUSINESSMEN
ARE NOT HOOKED ON DRUGS,

THE EXPERTS SAY THEY
CAN BE ADDICTED TO DRUG MONEY.

Mickey: WE PURCHASED
A CESSNA CONQUEST.

WE PAID $980,000 FOR IT

IN CASH, HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?
TRY THAT ONE TODAY.

THEY NEVER BLINKED AN EYE.

THEY SUSPECT THEY KNOW

WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM

BUT THEY ARE NOT GONNA
BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS THEM.

THEY NEVER BLINKED AN EYE.

DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL,
TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN.

AND THEY DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT.

Man: COCAINE AND MARIJUANA SALES
THROUGH MIAMI

GENERATE SO MUCH MONEY

THAT SMUGGLERS LITERALLY HAVE
NO PLACE TO PUT IT ALL.

YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND,
I HAD GARBAGE BAGS IN MY LAWN

WITH, YOU KNOW, EACH BAG HAD
LIKE A MILLION, $700,000,

BURIED IN THE LAWN 'CAUSE
I HAD NOWHERE TO PUT IT.

Toni: HE USED TO BURY IT
IN THE HORSE FEED TOO.

I REMEMBER I'D BE DIGGING
FOR HORSE FEED

I'D FIND MONEY
IN THE HORSE BAG.

AND IT WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW,
NOBODY WAS QUESTIONING ANYTHING

BECAUSE MY NEIGHBOR NEXT TO ME,

I WAS GIVING HIM 10 KILOS
A WEEK.

Toni: TIERRA DEL REY,
THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS LIKE

FALLING APART
WHEN WE MOVED IN.

AND MY NEIGHBOR
ACROSS THE STREET WAS GETTING

20 KILOS A WEEK,
SO HE WAS WATCHING OUT FOR ME.

EVERYBODY WAS HURT FOR MONEY

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
EVERYBODY HAD MONEY.

THAT WAS A WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.

YOU SHELL OUT AN EXTRA HUNDRED
GRAND YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO,

AND IT'S OKAY. YOU KNOW,
JON WAS GOOD LIKE THAT.

IT DIDN'T MATTER, THOUGH.
IT WAS NEVER LIKE,

"UH-OH, I DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY THIS."

WELL, YOU KNOW,
HOW COULD THAT BE?

HOW COULD IT POSSIBLY BE?

I HAD THREE CIGARETTES
HANGING IN THE BACK YARD,

TWO COUGARS, I HAD MOUNTAIN
LIONS LIVING IN MY HOUSE.

I HAD A HELICOPTER
IN MY BACK YARD.

AND I USED TO FLY WITH
THE HELICOPTER TO THE RACETRACK.

EVERYBODY ELSE
WAS DRIVING THEIR CARS.

I'D LAND TO SEE MY HORSES
RUNNING IN THE HELICOPTER

FOR LIKE AN HOUR
AND THEN GO BACK HOME.

I HAD 40, 50 HORSES AT A TIME,
RACE HORSES.

Toni: OH, MY GOD,
HE HAD TERRIFIC RACE HORSES.

Jon: YOU KNOW WHAT
THEY COST A MONTH TO FEED?

50,000 A MONTH
JUST TO FEED 'EM.

YOU DIDN'T CARE WHAT IT COST

'CAUSE YOU HAD MONEY
IN YOUR POCKET.

PEOPLE WENT OUT AND PARTIED.

Man: WE SUDDENLY HAD DOZENS

OF SUPER-HIGH-END
NIGHTCLUBS OPENING.

IT'S BEEN YEARS SINCE
A REAL NIGHT CLUB

OPENED ON MIAMI BEACH.

Jon: THE JOCKEY CLUB,
TURNBERRY,

THE PALM BAY CLUB,
THE CRICKET CLUB.

Man: BUT THE BEST OF ALL CLUBS
WAS DEFINITELY

THE MUTINY
IN COCONUT GROVE.

IT CATERED ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY
TO THE DRUG TRAFFIC.

Mickey: IF YOU WERE IN THAT
TRADE, YOU HAD THE MONEY.

YOU COULD ENTERTAIN PEOPLE
LAVISHLY.

JON: I MEAN WE USED TO GO
INTO RESTAURANTS...

Toni: TO DINNER AT ARTURO'S,
OR THE PALM

OR JOE'S STONE CRAB.

Jon: AT THAT TIME, THE FORGE
WAS THE BEST RESTAURANT.

THEY WOULD JUST GIVE US
THE BACK ROOM AT THE FORGE

AND JUST CLOSE
THE WHOLE BACK ROOM DOWN.

AND HERE YOU COULD SPEND
$20,000 IN A NIGHT THERE

AND WE WOULD DESTROY THE WALLS,

AND HERE'S THE MONEY,
WHATEVER WE DID, FIX IT UP.

IT WAS LIKE WASTE, IT WAS LIKE
NOTHING, THE MONEY.

Mickey: AND JON LIKED TO GO OUT
TO THE LADIES BARS.

Jon: IT WAS NOTHING TO SPEND
$5,000 IN A STRIP JOINT.

I MEAN, YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT
NOT ONE NIGHT

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
THREE OR FOUR NIGHTS A WEEK

AND I'D TELL MY FRIENDS,
"YOU SEE THAT GIRL THERE?

"I GUARANTEE YOU I CAN GET HER
TO HAVE SEX WITH YOU TONIGHT."

AND HE WOULD SAY,
"THERE'S NO WAY,

"SHE DOESN'T WANT TO LOOK AT ME
AND HAVE SEX."

AND I'D TELL HER,
"HOW MUCH DO YOU NEED

"TO HAVE SEX WITH THIS GUY?"
"I'M NOT DOING THAT."

"YOU'RE NOT DOING
IT? HERE'S 500."

"I'M NOT DOING IT."
"HERE'S A THOUSAND."

"YOU'RE NOT DOING IT?
HERE'S 2000."

EVENTUALLY, LIKE I SAID,
SHE'D BREAK DOWN,

$2,000, $3000,
"I'LL HAVE SEX."

AND THE GUY WOULD BE LIKE,
YOU KNOW, THEY'D BE SHAKING,

THEY COULDN'T UNDERSTAND
HOW YOU DO ALL THIS.

I STILL BELIEVE IT NOW EVEN
THOUGH MAYBE MIAMI'S CHANGED,

EVERYBODY HAD A PRICE.
EVERYBODY DOES HAVE A PRICE.

THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE
THAT DON'T.

YOU COULD START AS HIGH
AS NORIEGA IN PANAMA

AND YOU CAN GO ALL THE WAY DOWN

TO CITY MANAGERS,
TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

IF SOMEBODY GOT PULLED OVER

AND THEY HAD 50 KILOS
IN THE TRUNK, OFFER A BRIBE.

YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOU COULDN'T
BRIBE A COP WITH $20

OR $50 OR $100, BUT THERE WERE
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS

OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

TELL THEM WITHIN AN HOUR
YOU'LL HAVE

WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY WANT
THERE IN CASH.

HALF A MILLION DOLLARS,

THREE QUARTERS
OF A MILLION DOLLARS.

Jon: BUT YOU'VE GOT TO LEAVE
WITH THE COKE.

AND MOST OF THE TIME
IT WORKED.

I HAPPENED TO KNOW
THIS LIEUTENANT

THAT WORKED IN NORTH BAY
VILLAGE,

APPROACHED HIM ONE DAY
AND I SAID,

"LISTEN, I WANT TO
UNLOAD SOME BOATS

"BEHIND THE NORTH BAY VILLAGE
POLICE DEPARTMENT,

"YOU THINK WE'VE GOT
ANY PROBLEM DOING THAT?"

HE SAID, "I'LL TELL YOU WHAT,
WE'LL HAVE TWO PATROL CARS

"AND WE'LL THROW IT
IN THE BACK OF THE PATROL CARS

"AND DRIVE IT
WHEREVER YOU WANT."

WE HAD FOUR MAYORS INDICTED,

MOST OF THEM CONVICTED
OF ENGAGING IN CORRUPTION.

WE BECAME SO POWERFUL
AND HAD SO MUCH MONEY.

ARE THERE PLACES
WHERE THEY ARE MORE POWERFUL

THAN THE GOVERNMENT?
UH...UNFORTUNATELY

I THINK THAT THAT MAY BE TRUE.

I WAS A MEMBER OF
THE REPUBLICAN INNER CIRCLE.

HOWARD BAKER SENT ME A LETTER
AND SAID,

"SEND ME MY CONTRIBUTION
AND YOU CAN COME TO WASHINGTON."

HERE I AM WITH ALL THESE
SENATORS, ALL THESE BIG PEOPLE,

AND NOT ONE OF THEM
EVER QUESTIONED ME

OR EVEN SAID TO ME, "WHAT IS IT
YOU DO DOWN IN MIAMI?"

COME ON,
THEY WELCOMED ME IN THERE

BECAUSE I MADE A BIG
CONTRIBUTION

TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

YOU'RE IN THE INNER CIRCLE,
AND I SAID TO MYSELF,

"YOU KNOW, I DID THIS, YOU KNOW,
ALL WITH DRUGS

"AND I DID IT
WITH NOTHING ELSE, YOU KNOW."

COCAINE TRAFFICKING
AND THE MONEY,

THE MONEY ALMOST RUINS
ANY MORALITY IN THIS COMMUNITY.

Reporter: MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN CASH

SUPPORTS A NETWORK
OF DRUG BANKS.

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A CITY
WITH SO MANY BANKS?

YOU'RE GONNA TELL ME
THERE'S THAT KIND OF

INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS
IN THIS CITY?

PLEASE, COME ON.

Reporter: WHAT MAKES
LAW OFFICIALS SUSPICIOUS

IS THAT LAST YEAR
SOUTH FLORIDA BANKS

TOOK IN $6 BILLION
IN EXTRA CASH FROM DEPOSITORS.

BANK PRESIDENTS WERE IN ROOMS
FOR DAYS COUNTING CURRENCY.

Man: IS LANDMARK A COCAINE BANK?

IT IS NOT, DEFINITELY NOT.

Burstyn: BANKS INVESTED
IN HUGE CASH-COUNTING MACHINES.

Man 3: LACKING STORAGE SPACE,
THE BANKS TURNED IT OVER

TO THE FEDERAL RESERVE.

Reporter: AUTHORITIES SAY A BANK
THIS SIZE NORMALLY DEPOSITS

ABOUT $12 MILLION A YEAR IN CASH
WITH THE FEDERAL RESERVE.

LAST YEAR,
CONTINENTAL-NATIONAL

DEPOSITED $600 MILLION IN CASH.

ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT

IN THIS BANK
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG?

Reporter: THIS IS
THE COUNTING ROOM

OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE
BANK IN MIAMI.

LAST YEAR,
THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK HERE

GENERATED A SURPLUS IN CASH
OF $5 BILLION,

MORE MONEY THAN ALL OF THE OTHER
FEDERAL RESERVE BANKS

IN THE COUNTRY COMBINED.

MIAMI COULD POSSIBLY BE
DESCRIBED

AS THE OVERSEAS
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS

FOR MONEY LAUNDERING
FOR THE COLOMBIANS.

I STARTED BUYING PROPERTY
ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Reporter: THERE ARE
THOUSANDS OF PROPERTIES

WORTH MORE
THAN A BILLION DOLLARS

THAT HAVE BEEN BOUGHT WITH
ILLICIT MONEY IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

Mickey: A COUPLE OF HOUSES.

Jon: WE BOUGHT A BOAT COMPANY.

Mickey: THE PROPERTY
WHERE THE BOAT SHOP WAS AT.

Jon: WE BOUGHT APARTMENTS.

Mickey: LOTS OF WAREHOUSE SPACE.

Jon: WE BOUGHT 480 ACRES
OF LAND UP IN TAMPA.

Mickey: GREAT DEAL
OF REAL ESTATE.

Jon: WE BOUGHT ONE
OF THE BUILDINGS

SO WE COULD
MAKE IT A RADIO ROOM.

Mickey: A THOUSAND ACRES
UP HERE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA.

DRUG DEALERS WOULD COME IN
AND BUY 8, 10, 15 HOUSES.

Mickey:
ONE PLACE IN SOUTH MIAMI,

I OWNED PRACTICALLY
THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I HAD $24 MILLION
IN REAL ESTATE.

I'M GOING TO WORK ONE DAY,
I COME ONTO INTERSTATE 95,

WHICH GIVES ME A BEAUTIFUL VIEW
OF ALL OF DOWNTOWN MIAMI.

"LOOK AT THIS"
AND WE COUNTED...

22 CONSTRUCTION CRANES

ON THE HORIZON,
THAT WE COULD SEE.

I SAID, "I WONDER HOW MUCH
OF THIS IS DRUG MONEY."

GOD! HOW MUCH DID I SPEND?

Burstyn: AND THERE WAS SO MUCH
MONEY THAT ONCE IT BROKE THROUGH

IT COULDN'T BE ERADICATED.

PROBABLY AS MUCH
AS I PUT IN THE BANK--

$50 MILLION EASILY, EASILY.

BILLIONS OF DOLLARS
MAY HAVE FUNDED

A LOT OF DEVELOPMENT AND
A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION IN MIAMI.

BUT IT WAS BLOOD MONEY.

Edna Buchanan:
'79 WAS THE YEAR WHEN

THINGS BEGAN
TO GET REALLY SERIOUS.

CERTAINLY DADELAND
REALLY WAS THE DEFINING MOMENT.

THE FIRST PUBLIC SHOT
OF THE COCAINE WARS.

THE SHOOTOUT OCCURRED
AT ABOUT 2:30 THIS AFTERNOON

WHEN TWO OR MORE LATIN MALES
ENTERED THE CROWN LIQUOR STORE

HERE ON THE WEST END
OF THE DADELAND MALL.

THEY WERE FOLLOWED BY
TWO OR THREE OTHER LATIN MALES

AND THEN THE SHOOTING BEGAN.

I MEAN, WE KNEW EXACTLY,
THE MINUTE WE HEARD THAT,

IT WAS ANOTHER COLOMBIAN
DRUG-RELATED MACHINE-GUNNING.

RIGHT NOW TWO PEOPLE ARE DEAD

AND THERE ARE OTHERS INJURED.

Woman: INSIDE THE LIQUOR STORE,
ONE COLOMBIAN NATIONAL

AND ANOTHER NON-CUBAN LATIN
SUSPECTED OF DRUG TRAFFICKING

LAY FACE UP
IN A POOL OF BLOOD.

WELL, I WENT RACING DOWN THERE
AND I SAID,

"I'M FROM THE MIAMI HERALD,
YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENED HERE?"

AND THE COPS WERE JUST
SHOCKED AND ASKANCE.

I HAVE NEVER SEEN
IN MY LIFE UH...

UH...AN EXTENSIVE
AMOUNT OF, UH...

UH...HOW WOULD YOU PUT IT?

Al: WELL, JULY 1979, I'D BEEN
IN HOMICIDE FOR ABOUT 2 YEARS.

BUT THIS WAS JUST BEYOND
THE SCOPE OF ANYTHING

THAT ANYBODY COULD HAVE IMAGINED
UP UNTIL THAT DAY.

Man: WELL, THERE WAS JUST GLASS,
DEBRIS, ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THERE WERE BULLET CASES
ON THE WALL, ON THE FLOOR,

ON THE SHELF, IT JUST LOOKED
LIKE AN OLD WESTERN SHOOTOUT.

Man: THE ASSAILANT
SPRAYED GUNFIRE

ALL AROUND THE PARKING LOT.

Reporter: DID YOU SEE WHAT
HAPPENED TO THEM

WHEN THE SHOOTING WAS OVER?

THEY RAN.
WHERE?

I DON'T KNOW, I WAS RUNNING.

Reporter: INNOCENT BYSTANDERS
DOVE FOR COVER,

CARS WERE RIDDLED WITH
MACHINE-GUN FIRE,

GAS TANKS SPILLING OUT.

ACTUALLY THERE WERE TWO SCENES,
THEY WERE THE PRIMARY SCENE

WHERE THE TWO DEAD BODIES WERE
INSIDE CROWN LIQUORS,

BUT THE SECONDARY SCENE,
WHICH IS WHERE I WAS ASSIGNED TO

WAS WHAT HAS BECOME KNOWN AS
THE WAR WAGON.

Reporter: A DELIVERY VAN
WAS FOUND ABANDONED

IN THE NORTH SIDE OF THE MALL

WITH THE DOOR OPEN
AND THE MOTOR RUNNING.

Al: IT WAS A 1979 BRAND-NEW
FORD ECONOLINE VAN

CONVERTED INTO AN ARMED
PERSONNEL CARRIER.

IT WAS JUST A DEATH MACHINE.

Al: IT HAD REINFORCED STEEL
WELDED TO THE SIDES.

WINDOWS COULD BE POPPED OUT,
USED AS GUN PORTS.

Edna: IT SAID "HAPPY TIME
PARTY SUPPLY" ON THE SIDE.

Al: INSIDE WE FOUND
14 DIFFERENT WEAPONS.

THESE KILLERS WERE LIKE
THE DIXIE CUP GENERATION,

THE THROWAWAY GENERATION.

THEY WOULD SHOOT A GUN
UNTIL IT WAS EMPTY,

THROW IT DOWN
AND PICK UP ANOTHER ONE.

Al: YOU NAME IT, SHOTGUNS,
CARBINES, MAC-10, AN UZI,

ASSORTED HANDGUNS,
AMMUNITION FOR ALL OF THEM.

THE WAR WAGON WAS REALLY I THINK
THE BIG TURNING POINT

WHERE THE POLICE REALIZED
WHAT THEY WERE UP AGAINST

AND HOW OUT-GUNNED THEY WERE.

Reporter: WHAT WOULD THE AMOUNT
OF WEAPONRY IN THAT VAN

INDICATE TO YOU?

WELL...THEY WERE WELL ARMED,
WE CAN SAY THAT

AND THEY...THEY CAME
PREPARED TO DO BATTLE.

Woman: BULLETS
WERE FLYING EVERYWHERE.

Al: THE FINAL TALLY
WERE THAT 86 ROUNDS

HAD BEEN FIRED
BY ALL THE WEAPONS.

Man: GOD KNOWS, I DON'T KNOW
HOW MANY...

HOW MANY TIMES
THESE PEOPLE WERE SHOT.

THERE WERE JUST SO MANY
BULLET WOUNDS OVER THESE VICTIMS

THAT IT JUST MADE IT
IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME

TO DETERMINE
THE EXACT NUMBER OF SHOTS.

Al: WE DID
THE STANDARD FOLLOW-UP LEADS,

THE TRUCK HAD BEEN
FALSELY REGISTERED.

THE FIREARMS HAD BEEN BOUGHT
UNDER FALSE NAMES.

WE WENT TO THE ADDRESSES--
THE ONES THAT WERE GOOD

THE PEOPLE HAD FLED.

SO IT WAS YOUR TYPICAL
COLOMBIAN CASE,

YOU KNOW, WENT NOWHERE FAST.

Man: OFFICERS SEARCHED
THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD

FOR MORE THAN AN HOUR
BUT TURNED UP NO SUSPECTS.

I SAID, "ANOTHER OPEN PENDING,"

OPEN PENDING MEANS
AN UNSOLVED CASE,

BECAUSE WE HAD
NO SUCCESS WHATSOEVER TO DATE

CLOSING THE COLOMBIAN MURDER.

WE HAD A BRAND-NEW
PHENOMENON HERE

THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE
WAS UNPRECEDENTED.

THE SOPHISTICATION
WAS UNPRECEDENTED.

I THINK THIS WAS THE FIRST CASE

WHERE WE HAD ACTUALLY
A MACHINE-GUNNING

IN A PUBLIC PLACE
IN THE MIDDLE OF DAYLIGHT,

SHOPPERS AND PASSERS-BY AROUND.

OF COURSE AFTER THAT,
THAT HAPPENED FREQUENTLY.

IT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A WAR,
THE COCAINE WARS DOWN HERE.

Reporter: LOCAL HOMICIDE
DETECTIVES

SAY MIAMI IS IN THE MIDDLE
OF A NARCOTICS WAR

BETWEEN COLOMBIAN
AND CUBAN DRUG DEALERS.

Mickey: MIAMI WAS CHANGING.

THE COLOMBIANS WERE
PUSHING THE CUBANS OUT.

THERE WAS A MAD SCRAMBLE
FOR MARKET SHARE.

ONE OF THE REASONS
FOR THE VIOLENCE

WAS BECAUSE OF
THE COMPETING FACTIONS.

AND THE VIOLENCE IS WHAT TURNED
MIAMI INTO THE COCAINE COWBOYS.

Man: AS THEY CALL THEM,
THE COCAINE COWBOYS.

Reporter: THEY CALL THEM
THE COCAINE COWBOYS.

THIS COCAINE COWBOY THING,
IT WAS ALL PEOPLE FROM MEDELLÍN.

Woman: ESTIMATES ARE
THAT AS MANY AS 100,000

ILLEGAL COLOMBIAN ALIENS

ARE LIVING AND WORKING
THE DRUG TRADE IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

Edna: THEY WOULD GO
AFTER THEIR TARGET,

THEY'D KILL THE WIFE,
THEY'D KILL THE MAID.

"IF THERE'S A DOG THERE,
I'LL KILL THE DOG,

"IF THERE'S A BIRD THERE,
I'LL KILL THE BIRD,

"GOLDFISH THERE,
I'LL KILL THE GOLDFISH."

Edna: IF A GIRL SCOUT
RANG THE BELL TO SELL COOKIES,

THEY'D KILL THE GIRL SCOUT TOO.

POOR PEOPLE THAT WERE
STANDING THERE AND KIDS,

ANYBODY WOULD JUST
GET SHOT DEAD.

THEY JUST WOULD KILL
EVERYBODY IN SIGHT.

Reporter: JESÚS HERNANDEZ,
A SUBMACHINE BARRAGE

TORE HIM APART IN HIS CAR

ON A BUSY
SOUTHWEST STREET AT NOON.

NUMEROUS MACHINE-GUNNINGS.

RAT-A-TAT! TRA! TRA!

BRA! AND THEN I HEARD THE...

BA-BOOM! BA-BOOM! PA! PA! PA!

Reporter: AND THE APARTMENT
WAS SPRAYED BY MACHINE-GUN FIRE,

A TRADEMARK ACCORDING TO POLICE
OF THE COCAINE COWBOYS.

Man: ON THE HIGHWAYS,
THE TURNPIKE, US 1,

IN SOME CASES
RESIDENTIAL STREETS.

Reporter: THE RED MUSTANG
WAS HEADING NORTH

ON SOUTHWEST 107TH AVENUE.

THE GREEN SEDAN PULLED ALONGSIDE
THE DRIVER, OPENING FIRE.

Reporter 2: THE TOOLS OF DEATH,
AUTOMATIC WEAPONS AND SHOTGUNS.

THAT'S THE KIND OF STUFF
YOU SEE ON TELEVISION,

YOU DON'T SEE IT
IN REAL LIFE.

Reporter: WITNESSES DESCRIBED
THE SCENE AS A WAR ZONE,

MIAMI VICE
WITHOUT THE CAMERAS.

BUT THIS WAS REAL LIFE,
IT WAS REALLY GOING ON.

YOU HAVE FIVE PEOPLE
KILLED HERE,

YOU HAVE THREE PEOPLE
KILLED HERE.

Reporter: A QUIET RESIDENTIAL
AREA IN KENDALL TONIGHT

BECAME THE SCENE
OF A GRIZZLY MASS MURDER.

SIX BODIES WERE FOUND
IN A POSH TOWNHOUSE.

Reporter 2: MIAMI POLICE SAY
THIS IS THE WORST

MULTIPLE HOMICIDE
IN THE CITY'S HISTORY.

Reporter 3: POLICE BELIEVE
THE MASSACRE WAS DRUG RELATED.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MASS MURDERS
THAT IN THIS DAY AND AGE

WOULD GET
BREAKING NEWS COVERAGE

FROM ALL THE CABLE TV STATIONS.

WE HAD THAT LEVEL OF VIOLENCE
HAPPENING DAILY

AND THE LOCAL MEDIA, BECAUSE OF
US JUST BEING SATURATED BY IT,

SAYING, "OH, IT'S JUST
A DOUBLE HOMICIDE.

"OH, IT'S JUST
A TRIPLE HOMICIDE."

Al: IT JUST BECAME COMMONPLACE
THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE

JUMPING FROM CRIME SCENE
TO CRIME SCENE.

WE HAVE TO HAVE MORE THAN
FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE DEAD

TO MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF IT.

I MEAN, I CAN RECALL GETTING
FIVE MURDERS IN ONE NIGHT.

THERE HAVE BEEN EIGHT MURDERS IN
DADE IN JUST THE PAST 48 HOURS.

Edna: YOU NEVER KNEW WHEN
YOU WERE GOING TO STUMBLE OVER

ANOTHER BODY.

Man: MIAMI KIND OF RESEMBLED

THE ST. VALENTINE'S DAY MASSACRE
IN CHICAGO IN THE '20S.

GANGSTERS DRIVING THROUGH
THE STREETS

STANDING ON THEIR FLOORBOARDS

WITH THEIR
THOMPSON .45 MACHINE GUNS

HAVING GUNFIGHTS
IN CHICAGO IN THE '30S.

WHAT I SEE GOING ON HERE

WOULD MAKE CHICAGO
IN THE DAYS OF PROHIBITION

LOOK LIKE A BAPTIST
SUNDAY SCHOOL PICNIC.

AND ONE OF THE COPS THEN EVEN
SAID, "IT'S LIKE DODGE CITY."

Man: AND IT WAS LIKE THE WILD
WILD WEST BACK THEN.

BUT OF COURSE HE WAS WRONG,
BECAUSE DODGE CITY

WAS NEVER AS VIOLENT
AS MIAMI WAS THEN.

Burstyn: MIAMI IN THE EARLY '80S
WAS CONSIDERED

THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE
ON EARTH.

FIRST DETROIT WAS MURDER CITY,
THEN ATLANTA, NOW MIAMI.

Officer: IN 1976
WE INVESTIGATED 104 MURDERS.

Reporter: THE FIRST SEVEN MONTHS
OF 1979

HAVE BEEN CALLED THE BLOODIEST
IN SOUTH FLORIDA'S HISTORY.

Man: THERE WERE 573
TOTAL HOMICIDES IN 1980.

Man 2: 1981 WILL GO DOWN
AS ANOTHER RECORD YEAR

FOR KILLINGS
AROUND GREATER MIAMI.

I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA SEE
IN EXCESS OF 600 HOMICIDES

BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

AS SOUTH FLORIDA'S
DRUG TRADE PROSPERS,

DADE'S HOMICIDE RATE
WILL CONTINUE TO CLIMB.

CRIME IN MIAMI IS UP
AND TOURISM IS DOWN.

DESPITE THE GLOOM AND DOOM
THAT PEOPLE KEEP FORECASTING,

WE ARE PREDICTING
THAT WE WILL HAVE

MORE FOREIGN ARRIVALS HERE
IN THE GREATER MIAMI AREA

BY THE END OF THE SUMMER
THAN WE DID LAST YEAR,

WHICH WAS OUR BANNER YEAR.

FOR FIDEL CASTRO
IT WAS TANTAMOUNT

TO AN ACT OF GENOCIDE.

WITH ONE FELL SWOOP,
HE RID CUBA

OF THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS
OF UNDESIRABLES.

HE EMPTIED HIS PRISONS,
HE CLEARED THE BUMS

OFF THE STREETS OF HAVANA.
MURDERERS, THIEVES, PERVERTS,

PROSTITUTES, THE RETARDED,
CRIPPLED, THE WINOS,

ALL WERE ROUNDED UP,
SENT TO MARIEL HARBOR

AND PUT ABOARD BOATS
BOUND FOR MIAMI.

FIDEL CASTRO HIMSELF
PUBLICLY STATED

"I HAVE FLUSHED THE TOILETS OF
CUBA ON THE UNITED STATES."

AND BRAGGED ABOUT IT.

Reporter: ONE BOAT LEFT MARIEL
FOR THE US EVERY 5 MINUTES,

THEY CAME UNHINDERED
NIGHT AND DAY.

IT BECAME COMMONPLACE
IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

SHOTS WERE FIRED,
PEOPLE WERE KILLED,

AND MUCH OF THE TIME
THE KILLERS ARE PEOPLE

WHO CAME OVER FROM CUBA
IN THE BOATLIFT OF 1980.

CONSEQUENTLY OUR HOMICIDE RATE
DOUBLED THAT YEAR.

IT WOULD BE LIKE IF AN INVADING
ARMY WAS DROPPED IN HERE

TO RAPE, PILLAGE
AND BURN IN OUR TOWN.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY
WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

Reporter: AGGRAVATED ASSAULTS,
RAPES, ROBBERIES.

IN NO TIME AT ALL,
WE HAD BODIES ON THE FLOOR.

WE HAD THEM STACKED UP.
IT WAS A DISGRACE.

Reporter: THERE HAVE BEEN
SO MANY MURDERS

THROUGHOUT GREATER MIAMI LATELY

THAT A SPECIAL REFRIGERATED
TRUCK IS NOW BEING USED

BY THE DADE MEDICAL
EXAMINER'S OFFICE

TO STORE ALL THE BODIES.

THEY HAD ARRANGED
TO RENT OR BORROW IT

FROM BURGER KING WHOSE
HEADQUARTERS IS DOWN HERE.

AND I WAS VERY UPSET.

WE HAVE BEEN INVADED BY ALIENS
FROM OUTER SPACE.

THESE GUYS ARE SPACED OUT.

NOBODY SEEMED TO BE CONCERNED
ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING

IN THE STREETS OF MIAMI.
SO I OPENED MY MOUTH.

THEY ARE PSYCHOLOGICALLY
TOTALLY NOT EVEN HUMAN.

THEY'RE ANIMALS--
NOT EVEN ANIMALS,

THAT'S AN INSULT
TO THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.

THERE WAS NO LAW AND ORDER
WHATSOEVER.

WE ALL CARRYING GUNS.
MY WIFE CARRY GUNS,

MY TWO SONS THEY CARRYING GUNS.

AND YOU SEE I HAVE
A SHOTGUN LOADED IN MY HOUSE

AND WE'RE GONNA
SHOOT SOMEONE.

I CERTAINLY NEVER TRAVELED

ANYWHERE IN DADE COUNTY
WITHOUT BEING ARMED.

THERE'S...THERE'S
NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

Edna: I ALWAYS HAD A GUN, I
WOULDN'T SLEEP WELL WITHOUT ONE,

ESPECIALLY IN THE MIAMI
OF THAT TIME.

EDNA BUCHANAN
ON NATIONAL TELEVISION,

SAYING SHE WEARS TWO GUNS

AND EVERYBODY HAS TO WEAR A GUN.

Edna: MERRETT STEIRHEIM,
WHO WAS THEN COUNTY MANAGER,

AND ALL THE COMMISSIONERS
WERE FURIOUS

SO I WAS PERSONA NON GRATA
FOR A WHILE.

MIAMI WAS LITERALLY BEING
TORN APART AT THE SEAMS.

Reporter: BUT POLICE HELP
WON'T COME SOON

BECAUSE OF A MANPOWER SHORTAGE
IN THE DEPARTMENT.

FEDERAL AGENCIES READILY ADMIT
THEY ARE CRIPPLED

BY A LACK OF MANPOWER,
MONEY AND RESOURCES.

Man: THE CITY OF MIAMI
POLICE DEPARTMENT

WENT ON A BLIND HIRING FRENZY.

Reporter: IT'S HOPED
MORE POLICE ON THE STREET

WILL HELP TO REVERSE
THIS RECORD-SETTING TREND.

Edna: AND THEY USED TO HAVE
STANDARDS.

YOU COULDN'T EVER
HAVE USED DRUGS

IF YOU WANTED TO BE A POLICEMAN.

SO THEY REDUCED IT TO
YOU COULDN'T HAVE

USED DRUGS IN THE LAST
TEN YEARS,

AND THAT DIDN'T WORK.
SO THEY SAID,

"WELL, YOU COULDN'T HAVE USED
DRUGS IN THE LAST 5 YEARS."

THEY STILL COULDN'T
RECRUIT ENOUGH.

SO THEY SAID YOU COULDN'T HAVE
USED DRUGS IN THE LAST 2 YEARS.

AND FINALLY IT GOT
TO A POINT WHERE, IF YOU'RE NOT

UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS
AT THE MOMENT YOU'RE HIRED.

THAT RESULTED IN THE LARGEST
POLICE CORRUPTION CRISIS

SINCE THE SERPICO DAYS
UP IN NEW YORK.

Edna: AND THE ENTIRE
ACADEMY CLASS FROM THAT YEAR

LATER ON WENT TO JAIL OR DIED.

Reporter: THIS MAKES A TOTAL
OF THREE MIAMI OFFICERS

ARRESTED OVER THE WEEKEND.

TODAY'S ARREST CAME
AS SEVEN OTHER MIAMI OFFICERS

WENT ON TRIAL ACCUSED OF RIPPING
OFF OTHER COCAINE DEALERS

AND FOR DEALING DRUGS
THEMSELVES.

THE SO-CALLED COCAINE COPS HAVE
BEEN CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY,

DRUG TRAFFICKING
AND RACKETEERING.

THE TALLY, SHOCKING-- 40 CURRENT
OR FORMER MIAMI POLICE OFFICERS

ARRESTED OR SUSPENDED
IN THE LAST 2 YEARS.

16 SUSPENDED
IN JUST THE LAST 2 WEEKS.

AND IT IS NOT OVER.

AT LEAST 30 MORE MIAMI COPS
WILL BE SUSPENDED.

Man: THE RULE OF LAW COMPLETELY
BROKE DOWN IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST NOT
EVEN COME INTO WORK

AND JUST GIVE THE STREETS UP.

Officer: WE TRULY ARE COMMITTED,
AND WE ARE GOING TO GAIN CONTROL

OF THESE STREETS
ONCE AGAIN.

THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
IS NOT WORKING HERE.

AND I SUGGEST A REVISIT
OF THE WHOLE IDEA.

CENTAC 26 WENT FULLY OPERATIONAL
IN DECEMBER OF '81.

THERE WERE 25 PREVIOUS
CENTAC ORGANIZATIONS

IN DIFFERENT CITIES
IN THE UNITED STATES.

CENTAC STANDS FOR
CENTRAL TACTICAL UNIT.

OUR PRIMARY GOAL WAS TO COUPLE
THE HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS

WITH DRUG INVESTIGATIONS.

THEY HAD GOOD CONNECTIONS
WITH THE D.E.A., WITH THE F.B.I.

WE WERE DEALING WITH
A KIND OF CRIMINAL

WITH WHOM WE HAD NOT
DEALT BEFORE.

AND SO MY MANDATE TO MY PEOPLE
WAS VERY SIMPLE.

EXTRAORDINARY TIMES CALLED FOR
EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES.

Al: YOU WOULD USE
WHATEVER METHOD YOU COULD

TO TAKE SOMEONE OUT OF
THE PICTURE OR OFF THE STREET.

WE'RE GONNA GET RID OF THEM
EITHER BY PUTTING THEM IN JAIL

OR WE WERE GOING TO KILL THEM.

Al: IT WAS A UNIT
THAT WAS MEANT TO BE

MORE PROACTIVE THAN REACTIVE.

IT WAS JUST A DIFFERENT WAY
OF DOING POLICE WORK

AND IT WAS CALLED FOR
AT THE TIME

BECAUSE OF THE NATURE
OF THE CRIMINAL

WITH BOTH THE COLOMBIANS
AND THE CUBAN CRIMINALS

WHO CAME FROM MARIEL.

MIAMI SEEMS TO HAVE BECOME
PARADISE LOST.

IN THE FALL-WINTER OF 1981,

THE ARTICLE PARADISE LOST?
CAME OUT IN TIME MAGAZINE.

TIME MAGAZINE CRUSHED MIAMI.

Reporter:
THE 9-PAGE ARTICLE INSIDE

FOCUSED PRIMARILY
ON MIAMI

AS THE TROUBLED CENTER OF DRUGS,
CRIME AND REFUGEES.

THE POLITICIANS IN MIAMI,
DADE COUNTY, MIAMI,

WENT CRAZY WHEN THEY SAW THAT.

Man: THAT'S THE NUMBER ONE
QUESTION THAT'S ASKED,

"IS IT SAFE
TO COME TO MIAMI BEACH?"

AND WHAT DO YOU TELL THEM?
AND AGAIN I'M SAYING TO THEM,

UNLESS YOU'RE COMING DOWN HERE
TO TRAFFIC IN DRUGS,

WE ARE AS SAFE HERE
AS YOU WOULD BE

ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD
INCLUDING YOUR OWN HOME TOWN.

WE WERE TORN BETWEEN
TWO WORLDS.

FUN AND SUN CAPITAL...

MURDER CAPITAL.

THAT WAS THE GIST
OF THAT ARTICLE--

THE CRIMINALS WERE WINNING

AND WE WERE LOSING.

Man: I WAS BORN IN CALI,
COLOMBIA.

ARRIVED IN THE UNITED STATES,
1969.

I GREW UP IN CHICAGO,
I WAS A MECHANIC WITH MY DAD.

I WORKED FOR GENERAL MOTORS,
THAT'S WHERE I LEARNED

HOW TO BREAK INTO CARS.

WELL, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP
I WAS KNOWN AS A CAR THIEF,

ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CAR THIEVES IN CHICAGO,

AND THEN AFTER THE '80S I WAS...

I WAS KNOWN TO BE AN ASSASSIN
FOR THE CARTEL.

Rivi: I JUST GOT
WITH A GROUP OF GUYS

AND WE STARTED STEALING CARS
TO SELL THEM TO THE CHOP SHOPS,

BETWEEN $200 AND $500 A CAR.

WE USED TO STEAL 5, 6 A NIGHT,
THERE WAS THREE OF US.

SO WE WERE MAKING GOOD MONEY.
BETTER THAN WORKING FOR MY DAD.

I COME FROM A GOOD FAMILY,
I HAD EVERYTHING I NEEDED.

YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T NEED
TO GO STEAL CARS,

BUT IT WAS JUST THE MONEY
AND THE EXCITEMENT

OF GOING AND BREAKING
INTO SOMEBODY'S CAR

AND SELLING IT, YOU KNOW.

TROPICANA RESTAURANT.
WE USED TO

HANG OUT THERE
BECAUSE OF THE PAY PHONE.

THAT'S WHERE THE JUNKERS
USED TO CALL US.

WE USED IT AS OUR OFFICE.

AND I HAD A SPECIFIC SPOT
WHERE I USED TO PARK MY CAR

AND NO ONE WOULD PARK THERE.

ONE MORNING I GOT THERE,
THERE WAS A CAR PARKED IN FRONT,

SO I ASKED THE OWNER
OF THE RESTAURANT,

"WHOSE CAR IS THAT?"
HE SAID, "IT BELONGS TO

"SOME BIG SHOT FROM MIAMI."

SO I TOLD HIM I DIDN'T
GIVE A FUCK WHO IT BELONGED TO.

AND I WANTED THE CAR MOVED
SO I TOOK IT.

THE NEXT MORNING,
WE WERE IN THE RESTAURANT AND...

THREE COLOMBIANS CAME IN
AND HE ASKED WHO WAS RIVERITA.

HE SAID, "I'M LOOKING FOR HIM
'CAUSE HE STOLE MY CAR."

SO I SAID, "I'M THE GUY
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR, I'M RIVI."

HE SAYS, "YOU STOLE MY CAR
AND I WANT MY CAR BACK."

I SAY, "YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BACK
UNLESS YOU GIVE ME

"$500 FOR IT
BECAUSE IT BELONGS TO ME NOW

"BECAUSE YOU PARKED WHERE
YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO PARK."

HE STARTED LAUGHING AND HE SAID,

"YOU'VE GOT SOME BALLS,
YOU KNOW THAT?"

I SAID, "I'VE HEARD THAT
BEFORE."

AND HE SAYS,
"SO WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?"

I SAY "SIMPLE, $500,
YOU GET YOUR CAR BACK."

HE PAID ME, GOT HIS KEYS OUT
AND OPENED THE TRUNK.

IT WAS FULL OF GUNS,
USED GUNS,

REVOLVERS, AUTOMATIC PISTOLS,

AND HE ASKED ME
IF I'VE EVER BEEN TO FLORIDA.

AND I SAID "YEAH, WITH MY DAD."
"GOT ANY FAMILY IN FLORIDA?"

I SAID, "YEAH, I GOT
ABOUT SIX OF 'EM."

HE ASKED ME IF I COULD
DRIVE HIM TO MIAMI.

I SAID, "SURE. WILL YOU PAY?"
HE SAID, YEAH,

THAT HE WOULD PAY ME $5,000.

I TOLD HIM, "YEAH, NO PROBLEM."

WHEN I GOT TO MIAMI, HE SAID,
"LOOK I GOT SOME THINGS GOING,

"MAYBE YOU GUYS
COULD WORK FOR ME

"AND MAKE SOME MORE MONEY IN
MIAMI, IF YOU STAY IN MIAMI."

I TOLD HIM, "WHAT?"
HE SAID, "JUST DELIVERING DOPE

"AND PICKING UP MONEY...

"MAYBE ONCE IN A WHILE
PUSHING MARIJUANA."

THE MONEY WAS GOOD,
HE WAS PAYING ME $1,000 A DAY.

THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME
THAT WE WERE WORKING

WITH THE PEOPLE
THAT WERE IN THE DRUG BUSINESS.

BUT I HAD NO PLANS
TO START KILLING PEOPLE.

IT TURNED OUT
THAT WAY LATER BUT...

A COUPLE OF WEEKS WENT BY
AND WE WERE AT JACARANDA,

A COLOMBIAN NIGHTCLUB
IN MIAMI.

YOU KNOW, FLACO CAME IN,
"ARE YOU OUR DRUG CARRIER?"

HE SAID, "LOOK,
YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE,

"BECAUSE WE'RE FIXED
TO DO A HIT HERE."

"THOSE PEOPLE
ON YOUR RIGHT OF THE TABLE,

"THOSE SIX COLOMBIANS LAUGHING
AND DRINKING FIRE WATER,

"WE'RE GONNA SPRAY THAT TABLE,
THE WHOLE TABLE."

AND I SAID, "ALL RIGHT.
APPRECIATE IT, YOU KNOW."

I SAID, "LET ME GET MY GUYS."
AND I TOLD EVERYONE

EXCEPT VANEGAS, NEGRO, HE WAS
IN THE BATHROOM SNORTING COKE.

WE CALLED HIM NEGRO
'CAUSE HE WAS REAL DARK.

HE WAS NOT BLACK,
HE WAS JUST A DARK COLOMBIAN.

SO I WENT BACK TO THE BATHROOM
AND I TOLD HIM.

I SAID, "WE GOTTA GO, THERE'S
GONNA BE A SHOOTOUT HERE."

BUT I DIDN'T TELL HIM WHO.

HE SAYS, "JUST GIVE ME
A MINUTE." I WALKED OUT.

WELL, DURING THAT TIME, VANEGAS
HAD STOPPED AT THE SAME TABLE

AND TOLD THE GUYS TO LEAVE

BECAUSE THERE WAS GOING TO BE
A SHOOTOUT.

SO HE SCREWED UP THE HIT.
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT.

HE KNEW ONE OF THE GUYS
AT THE TABLE

SO HE WAS JUST LOOKING OUT
FOR HIS FRIEND.

I WAS OUTSIDE, VANEGAS CAME OUT.

AND BEHIND VANEGAS EVERYBODY
STARTED PUSHING AND SHOVING OUT.

FLACO CAME IN HIS MOTORCYCLE,
HE WAS PRETTY PISSED OFF.

HE SAID, "YOU GUYS
FUCKED EVERYTHING UP

"AND I SHOULD HAVE
NEVER HAVE TOLD YOU."

I SAID,
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

"ONE OF YOU GUYS TIPPED THEM OFF
'CAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW

"AND THE ONLY PERSON THAT KNEW
WE WERE GONNA DO THE HIT

"WAS YOU GUYS. YOU."

I SAID, "YEAH, MAN,
I JUST TOLD MY GUYS TO LEAVE."

I SAID, "HOLD UP,
LET ME TALK TO NEGRO."

I SAID, "DID YOU TELL
THEM PEOPLE?" AND HE SAID,

"I TOLD ONE OF THE GUYS
THERE WAS GONNA BE A SHOOTING

"LIKE YOU TOLD ME BUT I DIDN'T
KNOW IT WAS THEIR TABLE."

I SAID, "WE IN DEEP SHIT,
YOU KNOW."

I WENT BACK AND I SAID,
"YEAH, WE DID IT, MAN,

"BUT, YOU KNOW,
IT WAS AN ACCIDENT."

HE SAYS,
"WELL, YOU'RE IN TROUBLE, MAN,

"YOU'RE IN TROUBLE WITH MY BOSS.
AND THE BOSS WANTS TO MEET YOU."

"TELL YOUR BOSS
THAT IT WAS AN ACCIDENT."

HE SAID, "THEY DON'T WANNA
HEAR IT, MAN,

"JUST YOU," HE SAID.

"THE BOSS WANTS TO MEET
JUST YOU.

"EITHER THAT OR YOU'RE IN
TROUBLE."

SO WE GET IN THE CAR,
ON THE WAY I'M TELLING HIM,

I SAID, "THESE PEOPLE
AREN'T GONNA KILL ME, ARE THEY?"

HE SAYS, "I DON'T KNOW, I DON'T
MAKE NO GUARANTEES, MAN."

WE HAD FUCKED SOMETHING UP,
I KNOW,

I MEAN, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT
KILLING SIX PEOPLE.

SO YOU KNOW THEY AIN'T NO...
NO PUSSIES HERE.

HE ASKED ME IF I HAD A GUN. I
SAID, "YEAH, MAN. I GOT A GUN."

BUT I HAD TWO.

I HAD A BACKUP GUN
IN MY LEFT LEG.

SO WE DROVE TO A HOLIDAY INN
ON I95.

I LOOKED AND FOUR GUYS
GOT OUT OF THE CAR.

I SAID, "IS THAT THEM?"
HE SAID, "THAT'S THEM,

"THAT'S PART OF THEM,
THERE ARE MORE TO YOUR LEFT."

AND I LOOKED AND THERE WAS FOUR
OTHER GUYS ON THE OTHER SIDE.

I APPROACHED THE OLDER GUY
AND HE SAID,

"ARE YOU RIVI?"
I SAID, "YES, I AM."

"COME WITH ME."
GOT INTO THE BACK OF A CAR

AND IN THE BACK SEAT WAS A LADY.

SHE WAS CALLING THE SHOTS.

WHATEVER SHE'D SAY
EVERYBODY WOULD JUST KEEP QUIET,

NOBODY GAVE AN OPINION,

THEY WERE JUST,
WHATEVER SHE WAS SAYING.

AND HER HUSBAND
WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT.

HE DIDN'T OPEN HIS MOUTH. HE'S
NOT ASKING ME ANY QUESTIONS,

JUST HER, TELLING ME
WHAT TO DO.

SHE'S THE ONE
WITH THE POWER THERE.

I'M GETTING THIS LIP
FROM A WOMAN, YOU KNOW,

AND I DON'T--I OUGHTA HAD LIKE,
LIKE SAY YOU GO FUCK YOURSELF,

AND I THOUGHT, "NO, NO."

AND SHE ASKED ME, SHE SAID,
"YOU THE ONE THAT FUCKED UP

"THE HIT LAST NIGHT?"
AND I SAID, "IN A WAY I DID."

SHE TOLD ME, "I'VE BEEN
AFTER THESE PEOPLE FOR MONTHS

"AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
THAT WE GOT SIGHT OF THEM."

AND I...I HAD FUCKED IT UP.

SHE SAYS, "WELL, I'LL
TELL YOU WHAT, YOU FIND THEM,

"AND YOU KILL THEM FOR ME,
THEN WE CALL IT EVEN."

"I'M INTERESTED
IN THE TWO BROTHERS."

THE OTHER FOUR
WE WERE JUST GONNA HIT

BECAUSE THEY WERE SITTING
ON THE TABLE.

I SAID, "YOU WERE GONNA KILL
4 OTHER PEOPLE JUST TO KILL 2?"

SHE SAID, "THAT'S
THE WAY I DO MY THINGS,

"SPRAY THE WHOLE TABLE.
GET EVERYBODY OUT OF THE WAY."

THAT SURPRISED ME, YOU KNOW.

I MEAN, SHE WAS
TALKING TO MURDER LIKE...

SO I TOLD HER, I SAID,
"JUST GIVE ME A WEEK,

"I FIND THESE PEOPLE."

AND SHE SAYS, "WHEN
YOU DO, YOU CALL ME.

"I'LL GIVE YOU $50,000
FOR EACH."

SO ON MY WAY BACK I STARTED
ASKING FLACO QUESTIONS.

I ASKED HIM, "WHAT'S UP
WITH THIS LADY, MAN?"

HE SAYS, "SHE'S THE GODMOTHER."

I SAY, "YOU WANNA FILL ME OUT
A LITTLE ABOUT THE GODMOTHER?"

AND HE SAYS, "I'VE KNOWN HER
SINCE COLOMBIA...

"AND SHE'S DEADLY.

"IF YOU DON'T DELIVER,
SHE'S GONNA PUT A HIT ON YOU."

SHE WAS THE BIGGEST
BACK THEN.

SHE WAS THE GODMOTHER
OF THE COCAINE TRADE.

SO WHEN WE GOT BACK
TO THE HOTEL,

I TOLD THE GUYS
WHAT HAPPENED

AND VANEGAS WAS THERE
AND I SAID,

"LOOK, WE IN DEEP SHIT
WITH THIS LADY.

"IF WE DON'T FIND THESE PEOPLE,
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO HAUL ASS

"'CAUSE THEY'RE GONNA
COME AFTER--

"THEY TOLD ME IN SO MANY WORDS."
VANEGAS...

HE SAYS, "YEAH, I COULD GET
HOLD OF ONE, THE OLDER ONE."

I SAID,
"THAT'S ALL WE NEED, ONE."

THROUGH HIM
WE GET THE OTHER ONE.

I SAID, "DO THIS,
JUST GO TO A PAYPHONE AND BEEP

"AND SET UP A MEETING
FOR TONIGHT.

"AND WE'RE GONNA KIDNAP HIS ASS

"AND WE'RE GONNA TURN HIM OVER
TO THESE OTHER PEOPLE."

WE BEEPED, NO ANSWER.
SECOND DAY WE BEEPED, NO ANSWER.

THIRD DAY, I WAS LOSING
MY HOPES, NO ANSWER.

FOURTH DAY, HE BEEPED
AND THE GUY ANSWERED.

HE SET UP A MEETING
AT THE RAMADA INN

WE TOLD HIM THAT
WE HAD SOME GUNS

AND EXPLOSIVES TO SELL.

BUT THE PROBLEM WAS,
WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE HOTEL,

HE ARRIVED WITH HIS KID,
IT WAS A 15-YEAR-OLD BOY.

WE WEREN'T COUNTING ON NO KID.

SO VANEGAS, HE MADE A SMART MOVE
AND TOOK THE KID TO THE CAR.

OTHERWISE WE HAD TO TAKE
THE KID WITH US TOO.

HE'S TALKING,
LAUGHING WITH VANEGAS,

I'M BEHIND A TREE, AND WHEN
VANEGAS OPENED THE TRUNK,

I CAME OUT FROM BEHIND THE TREE,
I PUT A GUN IN HIS RIBS

AND I SAID,
"I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU."

SO THE GUY SAYS,
"I OWE YOU NOTHING."

I SAY, "NO, YOU DON'T.
SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS YOU.

"THERE'S A LADY
LOOKING FOR YOU.

"HER NAME IS GRISELDA BLANCO."

AND HE SAID, "THAT FAT BITCH,
I DON'T OWE HER NOTHING."

SO CUMBAMBA KICKED HIM IN THE
FACE AND KNOCKED HIS TEETH OUT.

HE SAID, "MORE RESPECT
FOR THE LADY.

"YOU TELL HER WHEN
YOU SEE HER, WE WORK FOR HER."

HE TURNED WHITE. HE SAID,
"YOU'RE GONNA MEET HER

"IN A COUPLE OF HOURS."
HE STARTED SHAKING.

SO AN HOUR LATER
THEY ARRIVED, THEY TOOK HIM.

THE NEXT DAY I'M AT HOME,
AT 4 O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON.

SHE COMES TO MY HOUSE,

SHE JUST COMES IN
LIKE SHE OWNED THE HOUSE.

AND MY WIFE WAS FRYING FISH.

SHE SAID, "OH, I LOVE FISH."

SHE'S JUST EATING, TELLING ME
HOW THEY KILLED THIS GUY--

THEY CHOPPED HIM UP
INTO LITTLE PIECES--

WHILE WE WERE HAVING DINNER.

I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING
ABOUT? YOU SHOT THIS GUY?"

SHE SAID, "YEAH, I SHOT HIM...

"AND CUMBAMBA CUT HIM UP

"AND PUT HIM IN A SMALL BOX
AND WRAPPED HIM UP LIKE A GIFT

"WITH A LITTLE BOW AND TAG
AND WE LEFT IT

"A COUPLE OF BLOCKS FROM HERE
ON THE TURNPIKE."

I SAID, "IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD?"
SHE SAID "YEAH,

"WE WERE HEADING SOUTH
TO COME AND VISIT YOU

"SO WE FIGURED IT WAS
A GOOD SPOT TO DROP HIM OFF."

I JUST LOOKED AT HER AND SAID,
"YOU'RE JOKING, RIGHT?"

SHE SAYS, "NO, FOR REAL."

I SAID, "YOU GUYS
USUALLY DO THIS?"

SHE SAID YEAH, SHE LIKES IT.

SHE LIKES US TO CUT PEOPLE UP
AND JUST THROW THEM LIKE THAT.

GRISELDA BLANCO,
SHE GREW UP WITH HER MOTHER

IN MEDELLÍN, VERY POOR.
SHE WAS A PROSTITUTE.

SHE STARTED HER CRIMINAL LIFE
AS A PICKPOCKET,

THEN THEY MOVED TO NEW YORK.

THAT'S WHEN THEY GOT INTO
THE DRUG BUSINESS.

THE FIRST TIME I HEARD HER NAME
WAS THE LATTER PART OF 1973.

FROM THE INTELLIGENCE
THAT WE WERE GIVEN,

SHE DID FIGURE
AS AN EMERGING THREAT

TO THE UNITED STATES.

Rivi: HER BUSINESS GREW.

SHE WAS A SIGNIFICANT COLOMBIAN
AND COCAINE TRAFFICKER.

RAFA AND GRISELDA,
THEY WERE CHILDHOOD FRIENDS.

SO RAFA
GAVE EVERYTHING TO HER.

Burstyn: IN THE MID-'70S
GRISELDA GOT CHARGED

ON A VERY LARGE COCAINE CASE
IN NEW YORK,

PROBABLY THE LARGEST
AT THE TIME,

AND SHE FLED AFTER THAT
AND SHE TOOK OFF.

THERE WAS A FUGITIVE WARRANT
ISSUED FOR HER.

I LOST TRACK OF HER FROM
THE TIME OF THE INDICTMENT

UP UNTIL I WAS
TRANSFERRED TO MIAMI.

Al: WELL, WE CAN'T SAY FOR SURE
EXACTLY WHEN SHE WAS IN MIAMI,

PROBABLY IN '78, AND WE DIDN'T
KNOW WHERE, OBVIOUSLY,

'CAUSE SHE WAS A FUGITIVE.

BUT WE KNEW
SHE WAS A MULTI-KILO DEALER.

IN THE VERY, VERY
LATINO CULTURE IT'S NOT USUAL

THAT A WOMAN WOULD BE THE HEAD
OF HER OWN ORGANIZATION,

SO I FIGURED THAT SHE HAD
TO HAVE BEEN ONE MEAN LADY.

GRISELDA HAD TO PROVE
TO ALL THE OTHER COLOMBIANS

THAT SHE WAS WORTHY TO KEEP

THE TRADE THAT THEY GAVE HER.

AND SHE LIKED PEOPLE
TO FEAR HER, AND THEY DID.

PEOPLE WERE
SO AFRAID OF HER,

HER REPUTATION PRECEDED HER
WHEREVER SHE WENT.

I MADE A MISTAKE OF NOT KNOWING
EXACTLY WHO SHE WAS AT FIRST.

I MET HER AT RAFA'S APARTMENT,
AND I LOVED LATIN WOMEN,

SO I WENT TO RAFA AND I SAID,
"WHAT'S HER STORY?"

AND RAFA SAID, "OH, NO.

"YOU'RE NOT
GETTING INVOLVED WITH HER."

AND I SAID, "WHY NOT?"
AND HE SAYS,

"IF YOU FUCK THIS WOMAN,
I'M GONNA HAVE TO KILL HER."

SO I WENT TO MAX
AND I SAID TO MAX,

"WHAT'S THE WOMAN'S STORY?"

AND MAX STARTED TELLING ME
THESE STORIES.

SHE WAS A HYPOCHONDRIAC.

Man: SHE WAS PRETTY DECADENT.

Rivi: SHE'D GET
A BRAND-NEW FERRARI

FOR CHRISTMAS, IT WAS $80,000.

SHE COLLECTED WEALTH.

HER CHRISTMAS PRESENTS
WERE ALWAYS LIKE EXPENSIVE.

Jon: EVA PERÓN'S RING...

Rivi: AND JEWELRY AND STUFF.

Man: A BAD FREEBASE COCAINE USER
AND ABUSER.

2nd man: A LESBIAN AS WELL.

Man: PARANOID.

2nd man: BEYOND THE MOVIES.

I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN
THINK MIAMI VICE

WOULD BE THIS FLAMBOYANT.

OF COURSE SHE HAD
THE THREE OLDER SONS.

HER LAST SON, THEY NAMED HIM
MICHAEL CORLEONE SEPULVEDA,

WHICH IS FUCKING INCREDIBLE.

AS FAR AS HER MURDERS GO,
MY GOD!

THEY CALLED HER THE BLACK WIDOW
BECAUSE SHE HAD KILLED

A COUPLE OF HER HUSBANDS,
OR HAD THEM KILLED.

THIS WOMAN LITERALLY
SLITS MEN'S THROATS

AFTER SHE SLEEPS WITH THEM.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES
SHE DID THAT.

"SHE'S NOT GONNA DO THAT
'CAUSE RAFA'S GONNA TELL HER

"THAT, YOU KNOW--"
AND MAX WAS LIKE,

"IT DON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE."

SHE COULD BE BUGGED OUT ONE
NIGHT AND YOU SLEEP WITH HER

AND SHE'LL SLIT YOUR THROAT
AND WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN HERE?

THERE'S GONNA BE A WAR.

GRISELDA WAS WORSE
THAN ANY OF THE MEN

THAT WERE INVOLVED
IN THIS.

THE FIRST HOMICIDE OF NOTE

THAT SHE'S INVOLVED WITH
IS DADELAND.

Rivi: THAT'S WHEN
GRISELDA'S CREW

WALKED INTO THE LIQUOR STORE
AND BLEW HIS HEAD OFF.

WELL, HALF HIS HEAD OFF.

Al: WHICH OF COURSE
IS JULY 1979.

I GUESS
HE WAS DYING FOR A DRINK.

AND THAT'S WHAT
ESTABLISHED HER AS ONE OF

THE MOST VIOLENT
TRAFFICKERS KNOWN.

THAT'S WHAT REALLY STARTED
RIGHT THERE, THE COCAINE WARS.

AS WE STARTED
SEEING MORE HOMICIDES,

THE ROLE OF GRISELDA BLANCO
BECAME VERY, VERY PROMINENT

IN WHAT WE WERE CALLING
THE COCAINE WARS.

Jon: SHE KILLED A LOT OF
COLOMBIANS AND A LOT OF CUBANS

TO GET HER POSITION IN LIFE.

Reporter: WHEREVER THEY GO

THEY TAKE THEIR SPECIAL
BRAND OF VICIOUSNESS WITH THEM.

THIS WOMAN KNOWN
AS LA MADRINA, THE GODMOTHER.

SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE MAJORITY OF THE HOMICIDES

THAT OCCURRED IN SOUTH FLORIDA
DURING THOSE DAYS.

Al: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982,
THOSE WERE THE YEARS

WHERE SHE DID HER KILLING
IN DADE COUNTY.

GRISELDA BLANCO, SHE WAS
REALLY, UH...AN ANGEL OF DEATH.

Man: I DON'T KNOW THAT
ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION

CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO
THE NUMBER OF HOMICIDES

THAT GO BACK TO GRISELDA,
I JUST DON'T.

Jon: AND IT COULD BE
OVER SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS...

IF SHE WAS IN A RESTAURANT
THE NIGHT BEFORE.

Rivi: LIKE WHEN WE WENT TO
THE PEROZ ON THE BEACH.

SHE COULD BE EATING AT A TABLE

AND THE OWNER GAVE HER
A PROBLEM OR SOMETHING.

THERE WAS THIS BIG GUY THERE,
STARTED RUNNING HIS MOUTH.

AND HE GOT SMART WITH HER TOO.

SHE DECIDED, YOU KNOW,
"FUCK THIS OWNER,

"I'M GOING TO
DESTROY HIS BUSINESS."

AND SO WE LEFT.

AND THESE GUYS
WOULD COME ON MOTORCYCLES,

THEN THEY'D TURN AROUND
ON THE BACK OF THE MOTORCYCLE,

AND JUST SPRAY EVERYBODY
WAITING ON LINE

TO GET INTO THE PLACE
AND EVERYTHING.

AND THEN MACHINE-GUN
HIS ASS DOWN

RIGHT IN FRONT
OF THE DOOR.

YEAH, THEY WERE TRYING
TO PIN IT ON ME...

BUT I WAS OUT OF TOWN.

SO HE MUST HAVE MESSED
WITH THE WRONG PEOPLE.

Jon: RIVERITA BECAME
GRISELDA'S MAIN ENFORCER.

Rivi: SHE WAS ALWAYS WITH ME,
AND THREE OR FOUR GUYS.

SHE HAD AN ARMY WITH HER.
A ROGUE CAST OF CHARACTERS.

HER CREW WAS...ALMOST LIKE
YOU WOULD SEE IN THE MOVIES.

SHE HAD PACO.
Man: PACO SEPULVEDA.

DIEGO SEPULVEDA. TOTO.
CARLOS VANEGAS. ALONSO AYALA.

JUST RAGTAG GUYS, YOU KNOW,

LIKE THE GANG
THAT COULDN'T SHOOT STRAIGHT.

UBER, GUILLERMO, VELASQUEZ,

ONLY THEY ACTUALLY
COULD HIT PEOPLE.

Rivi: CUMBAMBA.

Al: MONTECO, DIEGO ESCOBAR.

OSCAR MARIO.

Rivi: JAIME BRAVO.

Al: THEY WERE MAINLY ENFORCERS-
SLASH-HIT MEN.

THIS IS HOW THEY MADE A LIVING.

SOME PEOPLE ARE PHARMACISTS,

AND OTHERS ARE GARBAGE MEN
AND THESE ARE KILLERS.

AND THAT'S ALL THAT THEY DID.

Al: AND CHUCHO CASTRO
WAS HER CHIEF ENFORCER.

Rivi: TO ME HE WAS ONE OF
THE BEST ENFORCERS

THAT GRISELDA EVER HAD.

I MEAN, HE'S A LEGEND.
HE ALWAYS GOT HIS MAN.

OSVALDO, GRISELDA'S SON.
BACK THEN HE WAS 15.

HE WANTED TO LIVE FAST.

I MEAN, HE WAS CARRYING GUNS
AND STUFF,

HE WAS DEALING 300 AND 400 KILOS
OF COCAINE A MONTH.

Bob: THIS WAS ALL
ORCHESTRATED BY THE MOTHER.

HE WANTED TO LOOK LIKE
DON CORLEONE, YOU KNOW,

AND ACT LIKE HIM,
AND HE DID.

COCKY ATTITUDE, BECAUSE OF
HIS MOM. HE WAS A SMART ASS.

HE WAS IN THE FACES NIGHTCLUB
IN COCONUT GROVE

WITH HIS BUDDIES
AND HIS GIRLFRIEND AND ALL.

CHUCHO LIVED NEAR THERE.

SO OSVALDO, HE FIGURED,
"WELL, I'LL GO CAMP OVER HERE

"AT CHUCHO'S HOUSE."

HE DROVE HIS CAR
RIGHT TO THE FRONT LAWN,

ALMOST TO THE FRONT DOOR,
SKIDDING THE TIRES AND...

MAKING A WHOLE BUNCH OF NOISE.
SO CHUCHO CAME OUT.

SO HE TOLD HIM, YOU KNOW, TO
GET THE HELL OUT OF HIS HOUSE.

SO HE SAID, "WELL, IF YOU
DON'T LET ME SPEND THE NIGHT,

"I'LL TELL MY MOM."
SO CHUCHO SAID,

"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK
WHO YOU TELL,

"I DON'T GIVE A
FUCK ABOUT YOUR MOM,

"TELL YOUR MOM THAT I SAID
TO FUCK HERSELF."

CHUCHO KICKED HIM
IN THE ASS AND TOLD HIM,

"GET BACK IN THE CAR,
GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE.

"TELL YOUR MOM
THAT I KICKED YOUR ASS."

SO THE KID WENT BACK HOME
AND TOLD HIS MOM.

AND THAT'S ONE THING
ABOUT HER,

YOU COULDN'T
TOUCH HER KIDS.

IT DIDN'T MATTER WHO IT WAS,
THAT PERSON WOULD DIE.

THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMEBODY
THAT DID SOMETHING WRONG.

WHETHER THEY DID OR NOT,
THERE WAS A REASON FOR HER

TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEM.

Rivi: I WAS CALLED
THAT AFTERNOON TO HER HOUSE.

SHE SAID, "I NOTIFY HIM
THAT WE AT WAR,

"THAT HE'S NO LONGER MY FRIEND,
HE'S MY ENEMY.

"SO FROM THIS POINT ON
IF YOU SEE HIM, SHOOT HIM."

RIVI AND HIS PEOPLE
WERE DEPLOYED IN THIS AREA.

WELL, IT WASN'T GONNA BE EASY,
'CAUSE HE'S GOOD.

WE MAKE A MISTAKE,
WE WON'T GET HIM

OR WE WERE GONNA GET KILLED
BY THIS GUY.

RIVI, A DRIVER, AND A SECOND
GUNMAN WITH A WHITE VAN.

I WAS GONNA BE THE SHOOTER,
SO I GOT AN M16,

AND I JUST TOLD THE DRIVER,
"WHEN YOU GET NEAR HIM,

"YOU KNOW, WINDOW TO WINDOW,
LET ME KNOW

"AND I'LL FIRE
THROUGH THE DOOR."

'CAUSE I KNEW
IF I OPENED THE DOOR

WHILE WE WERE MOVING,
HE WAS GONNA KNOW.

HE KNEW ALL THE TRICKS.

Al: CHUCHO OPENED UP
THE GARAGE DOOR,

DROVE OUT OF HIS GARAGE
ONTO 168 STREET

AND THEN DROVE
WEST TOWARDS US 1.

Rivi: US 1, WHERE THE LIGHT WAS,

IT WAS ABOUT
HALF A MILE AWAY.

SO WE HAD
PLENTY OF TIME.

SOMEWHERE IN THIS AREA WOULD
HAVE BEEN WHERE THEY WOULD HAVE,

YOU KNOW, CAUGHT UP WITH CHUCHO,
GONE PARALLEL WITH HIM,

BOTH WESTBOUND, VAN TO THE LEFT,
CHUCHO TO THE RIGHT.

AND I GRABBED THE MACHINE GUN
AND I STARTED SHOOTING HIS TIRES

TRYING TO BLOW HIS TIRES OFF.
HE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR

AND HE ALMOST HIT A WALL
BUT HE TOOK CONTROL.

HE CAME BACK ON THE ROAD
THIS TIME.

Al: IT WAS ABOUT THE TIME
THEY WERE APPROACHING US 1.

BY THAT TIME WE WERE REAL CLOSE
TO THE RED LIGHT.

THERE WAS A GAS STATION
ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE.

AS THEY APPROACH US 1,

CHUCHO THEN CUTS THROUGH
THIS GAS STATION PARKING LOT,

THEY ARE AT REAL HIGH RATE OF
SPEED, GOES NORTH ON US 1,

AND THAT'S WHERE HE LOSES
THE GUY SHOOTING AT HIM.

WE LOOKED EVERYWHERE,
WE DIDN'T SEE HIM.

SO WE JUST LEFT,
AND SAID, YOU KNOW,

"WE FUCKED IT UP."

WELL, THE NEXT DAY
GRISELDA CALLED ME

AND SHE SAYS, "HIS
SON GOT KILLED,

"HIS SON WAS IN
THE BACK OF THE CAR SLEEPING

"AND THE BULLETS WENT RIGHT
THROUGH THE TRUNK OF THE CAR

"AND HIT HIM IN THE HEAD."

I SAID, "WE NEVER SAW HIM,"
'CAUSE IF I WOULD HAVE SEEN HIM,

WE WOULD NEVER
HAVE TOUCHED THAT CAR.

SHE SAYS, "HE TOLD ME
TO TELL YOU

"THAT HE'S GONNA GET
YOU CAUSE HE SAW YOU."

I SAID, "THAT'S FINE."

Al: CHUCHO WAS ACTUALLY
A FUGITIVE, FEDERAL FUGITIVE,

HE WAS INVOLVED
IN TRAFFICKING,

THERE WAS A WARRANT
FOR HIS ARREST FROM D.E.A.

AND THAT WAS THE PRIMARY REASON
HE WAS NOT GOING TO GET INVOLVED

WITH REPORTING THIS THING
TO THE POLICE.

HE RETURNED BACK HOME,
PUT THE BABY IN A BATHTUB,

PUT ICE AROUND THE BABY

SO THE BABY WOULD BE
PRESERVED ALL EVENING.

HE AND HIS WIFE SPENT
THE ENTIRE EVENING CRYING

WITH HIS BABY IN THE BATHTUB.

THE FOLLOWING DAY
THEY CALLED THE POLICE

TO LET US KNOW
WHERE TO FIND THE BODY.

THIS IS THE PHONE CALLS
THAT JESUS MADE

TO THE COMPLAINT ROOM.

"PLEASE, I JUST LEFT THE BODY
WITHOUT LIFE

"OF A BABY
THEY KILLED YESTERDAY.

"EXCUSE ME, YESTERDAY
SOME BANDITOS

"THAT WERE
IN A WHITE VAN

"SHOOT ME
WITH A MACHINE GUN

"AND THE BOY WAS SITTING
AND THEY KILLED HIM

"AT 7TH AVENUE
AND 53RD STREET.

"THE BODY OF THE BOY
THEY KILLED YESTERDAY,

"THE BANDITOS."

THIS IS THE MOSQUE

WHERE THE BODY
OF JOHNNIE CASTRO WAS PLACED.

CHUCHO WAS LOOKING
FOR THE CHURCH

WHERE JOHNNIE CASTRO HAD BEEN
CONFIRMED MONTHS EARLIER.

HE WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE CHURCH

AND THIS WAS THE BEST
HE COULD DO,

HE FOUND THIS MOSQUE WHICH WAS
IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD.

THE CHILD
WAS WRAPPED IN A SHEET.

IN HIS HANDS
WAS THREE ROSES.

A ROSE FOR EACH YEAR
OF THE CHILD'S AGE,

AND I THINK A PASSPORT...

HERE IT IS.

HE KNEW THEY NEEDED A PASSPORT
TO SHOW WHO HE WAS.

HE WAS BORN MARCH 10TH 1979

SO HE WAS ALMOST 3 YEARS OLD...

ALMOST 3 YEARS OLD.

WE REALIZED THAT
IT WAS A COLOMBIAN CHILD

BECAUSE OF THE PASSPORT
AND SO FORTH.

WE MADE CONTACT WITH
SERGEANT SINGLETON,

CENTAC, AND HIS PEOPLE.

WE KNEW IT WAS GRISELDA BLANCO
AND HER GROUP.

WE HAD GOTTEN THE NAME
OF RIVERITA,

BUT NOTHING CONCRETE,
YOU KNOW, NO PICTURE TO SAY

"OKAY, THIS IS WHO
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR."

NOTHING LIKE THAT.

I CAN'T THINK OF ANY OTHER CASE
WHERE THERE WAS A CHILD KILLED.

LITTLE JOHNNIE CASTRO

SHOT JUST BECAUSE
HE HAPPENED TO BE SITTING

NEXT TO HIS FATHER
WHO WAS COLOMBIAN AND A TARGET

OF SOME OF
THE COCAINE COWBOYS.

I WAS A ROOKIE
HOMICIDE DETECTIVE,

ONLY BEEN UP THERE
LESS THAN A YEAR,

AND MY SON WAS ABOUT
THE SAME AGE AT THAT TIME.

UH... PEOPLE ALWAYS ASKED ME,
YOU KNOW,

"HAVE BODIES EVER BOTHERED YOU?"

AND NEVER,
OTHER THAN THIS ONE CASE.

I MEAN THAT REALLY HIT ME,
YOU KNOW, REAL HARD,

'CAUSE I HAD...
I HAD KIDS THAT AGE.

INNOCENT, INNOCENT BABY,
YOU KNOW.

GRISELDA, SHE SAID,
"WELL, FUCK IT, YOU KNOW,

"AT LEAST WE GOT HIM."

I MEAN,
SHE WASN'T SORRY ABOUT IT,

AND SHE WAS LIKE...
LIKE, SHE DIDN'T GIVE SHIT.

Jon: EVEN THOUGH
THE COLOMBIANS WERE WILD

IN THE WAY THEY DID THINGS,

SHE WOULD JUST DO IT
EVEN IN A STUPID WAY.

BUT IT BOTHERED
A LOT OF PEOPLE,

NOT JUST HERE
IN THE UNITED STATES

IT BOTHERED
PEOPLE IN COLOMBIA.

EVERYBODY WOULD TELL THEM
THIS WOMAN'S OUT OF CONTROL

AND SHE'S GONNA RUIN
EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS.

IT CAME BACK FROM THE OCHOAS,
WORD TO HER,

THAT LET'S JUST GET
WHOEVER'S INVOLVED

AND LET'S TRY TO AVOID
KILLING INNOCENT PEOPLE.

AND THE ONLY THING THAT
I REMEMBER

THE COLOMBIANS WANTED OF HER

WAS REALLY TO STAY OUT OF MIAMI
AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

SO SHE GOT A LOT OF HEAT
FROM THE OTHERS BUT SHE SAYS,

"YOU KNOW WHAT? FUCK THEM ALL.

"I DO WHAT I WANT UP HERE."

"IF THEY DON'T LIKE IT
THEY CAN COME AFTER ME TOO."

JUST LIKE THAT.

Jon: I WOULD HEAR CONVERSATIONS
IN SPANISH WITH RAFA

'CAUSE I WAS SITTING
IN HIS HOUSE,

"THAT MOTHERFUCKING GIRL!

"AGAIN SHE DID THIS TO ME!
NOW WHAT AM I GONNA DO?"

AND I KNOW HE'D CALL DOWN THERE

AND HE'D ASK THE GUYS
DOWN THERE,

"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?"
AND SOMEHOW THIS GIRL

GOT A PASS EVERY TIME
BECAUSE SHE SHOULD HAVE

BEEN DEAD A LONG TIME
BEFORE HER TIME, A LONG TIME.

BACK TO WORK.

Al: RIVERITA...

HE BECAME GRISELDA'S
MOST FAVORED ENFORCER.

SORT OF LIKE SECURITY.

LIKE I WAS LIKE
THE HEAD OF SECURITY,

NOBODY KNEW WHERE SHE LIVED
BUT ME.

MOST OF THE MEETINGS TOOK PLACE
IN RAFA'S HOUSE, IN MAX'S HOUSE.

I MET MAX THE FIRST TIME
AT HIS HOME AS MATTER OF FACT.

I WENT THERE WITH GRISELDA.

FROM THAT POINT ON,
I NEVER LIKED HIM.

I USED TO TELL GRISELDA, I SAID,
"DON'T TRUST THIS MOTHERFUCKER,

I DON'T TRUST HIM."
AND I SAID, "LISTEN,

"IF YOU DON'T STAY AWAY
FROM THIS GUY, HE'S GONNA

"PUT YOU IN PRISON.

"THE NEXT TIME I RUN INTO HIM
I'M GONNA SHOOT HIM."

BUT HE WOULD RUN AND TELL RAFA

AND THEY WOULD COME BACK
WITH THE MEN AND MAKE SURE

NOTHING HAPPENS TO MAX,
YOU KNOW,

"TAKE CARE OF MAX,
MAX IS MY COMPADRE."

I SAID, "FUCK MAX, I'M GONNA
SHOOT THAT MOTHERFUCKER."

AND HE SAID,
"YOU'RE GONNA KILL ME?"

I SAID, "NOT RIGHT NOW,
BUT I WILL LATER."

I MEAN, YOU HAD TO RESPECT HIM
BECAUSE THE GUY CAME IN

WITH LIKE TOUGH TALK, GUNS,
AND ALL THESE PEOPLE WITH HIM.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A GUY,

ANYBODY COMING IN ANYWHERE
WITH AN ENTOURAGE,

YOU GO, "THIS GUY IS SOMEBODY."

I DIDN'T ROLL ALL FLASHY
AND STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW,

I HAD MY HOUSE IN MIAMI
AT PALM BEACH,

I HAD A HOUSE IN SAN AGUSTÍN
AND TWO HOUSES IN CHICAGO.

MY CARS, I HAD PLENTY OF CARS.

I'D BUY THEM
FOR MY GIRLFRIENDS TOO.

MY WIFE,
A COUPLE OF GIRLFRIENDS.

THE LIFE, YOU GOTTA HAVE...
YOU GOTTA KEEP A COUPLE.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS WHAT I WANTED,
WHAT I LIKE,

I SAW ON THE STREET
I BOUGHT IT.

YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T HAVE TO
WORRY ABOUT THE PRICE.

I DON'T KNOW,
SHOW BUSINESS KIND OF...

THAT TYPE OF THING.

Bob: A HANDSOME GUY,
HE SPOKE ENGLISH,

HAD A LOT CHARISMA.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
THAT SHE LIKED ME SO MUCH.

I GREW UP IN THIS COUNTRY.

I JUST DIDN'T
COME ACROSS THE WATER

AND I STARTED...
AND PUT ME ON THE STREET.

ALTHOUGH HE WAS AS BAD
AND PROBABLY KILLED MORE THAN...

THAN ANY OF THE OTHER ONES.

I CAME FROM A GOOD FAMILY
BUT I GREW UP ON THE STREETS,

IN CHICAGO.

I WAS A BAD BOY
FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

A STONE-COLD KILLER.

TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH,
I DIDN'T LIKE THE GUY VERY MUCH

BECAUSE HE USED TO
BRAG TO ME ABOUT--

LIKE PEOPLE THAT HE HAD KILLED
AND THAT SORT OF THING.

ONE TIME I ROLLED MY WINDOW DOWN
AND I SHOT HIM WITH A MAC-11

ON THE FACE.

I DON'T WANNA HEAR
"OH, HE KILLED THIS GUY

"HERE, THERE," IT WAS LIKE...

AND I'LL KILL ANYONE IN
THE UNITED STATES,

OR ANYWHERE IN EUROPE, ANYWHERE
THEY SEND ME, I'LL DO IT.

I DON'T WANNA HEAR ABOUT IT.
BRAGGING ABOUT STUFF.

AS FAR AS WORKING ON US SOIL,
I WAS THE BEST.

IT WAS UNNERVING IN A WAY,
YOU KNOW,

BECAUSE HE WAS KINDA
AN ENFORCER FOR THIS WOMAN

OR WHATEVER,
YOU KNOW, WHATEVER HE WAS.

AND HE WAS THE GUY
DURING THE YEARS

OF '82 TO '84 THAT SHE USED

BASICALLY EXCLUSIVELY
TO DO HER KILLINGS.

Rivi: MY REPUTATION WAS

THAT ONCE I WENT AFTER YOU,
I WILL GET YOU.

IF YOU RUN,
I'M GONNA CATCH YOU.

IF THERE WAS A DRUG DEBT
TO BE COLLECTED,

HE WAS SENT TO COLLECT IT.

A LOT OF HER CUSTOMERS
SAID THAT THEY WERE LATE,

AND SHE SAID, "WELL, IF YOU'RE
NOT HERE TOMORROW,

"I'LL SEND RIVI AFTER YOU."

"OH, NO, NO, DON'T SEND HIM."

ALFREDO LORENZO WAS A DRUG
CUSTOMER OF GRISELDA BLANCO.

Rivi: GRISELDA ORDERED ME
TO DELIVER

5 KILOS
OF COCAINE TO THEM.

BACK THEN IT WAS $50,000 EACH,
IT WAS $250 AN OUNCE.

HE HAD BEEN GIVEN COCAINE
ON CONSIGNMENT.

THAT WAS THE WAY
GRISELDA DID IT,

SHE SAID, "HOW MANY DAYS
DO YOU NEED TO PAY ME BACK?"

"ONE WEEK." "OKAY, I'M GONNA
GIVE YOU TWO WEEKS."

"WHEN THOSE TWO WEEKS WERE UP,
SHE DIDN'T WANT THE MONEY,

"SHE WANTED THE PERSON'S LIFE."

RIVI WAS SENT
TO COLLECT THE DEBT.

I WENT TO HIS HOUSE, YOU KNOW,
TO PICK UP THE MONEY,

AH, YOU KNOW,
EXCUSES, EXCUSES, EXCUSES,

AND HE SAYS, "TELL HER
TO GIVE ME MORE CREDIT

"AND I'LL COME UP
WITH THE MONEY."

I DIDN'T SAY NOTHING TO HIM.
I JUST FELT SORRY FOR HIM.

RIVI REALIZED THAT LORENZO
WAS GIVING HIM

A LOT OF BULLSHIT,
BASICALLY.

AND HE REPORTED THAT
BACK TO GRISELDA.

SHE SAYS,
"WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO."

WELL, THEN HIS FATE WAS SEALED.

WITH GRISELDA,
YOU DIDN'T PAY, YOU DIE.

EVEN THE MAFIA WOULD HAVE
SOME KIND OF CODE OF HONOR.

THE ITALIANS WOULD THINK
AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT

HOW AM I GONNA
GET MY MONEY BACK?

AND MAYBE AFTER I GOT MY MONEY
THEY WOULD BEAT HIM TO A PULP

BUT HE WAS FINE,
THREE WEEKS LATER HE'D HEAL.

AS THE COLOMBIANS CAME IN,
THERE WAS NO BEATING PEOPLE UP.

YOU KNOW,
THE HOT-BLOODED LATINS,

THEY DON'T THINK FIRST.

THEY ACT FIRST
AND THEN THEY THINK AFTERWARDS.

EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT KILL
THE WHOLE FAMILY,

THEN THEY'D
THINK TO THEMSELVES

"OH, MY GOD, I SCREWED MYSELF
OUT OF MY...

"HOW AM I GONNA GET MY MONEY?"

WHEN IT'S TOO LATE
TO ACTUALLY GET THE MONEY.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONEY,
JUST TO PROVE A POINT,

"DON'T RIP ME OFF,
DON'T FUCK WITH ME,

"'CAUSE I'LL KILL YOU
OR SEND SOMEBODY AFTER YOU."

SHE SAID, "KILL THEM."
AND HE DID.

Rivi: MIGUEL GOT ON MY RIGHT,
AND OSCAR MURILLO, ÑATO,

HE GETS ON THE LEFT,
AND I KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

ALFREDO OPENED THE DOOR,

AS SOON AS HE OPENED THE DOOR,
I PUT A GUN TO HIS RIBS,

I SIGNAL HIM TO BE QUIET.

I ASKED HIM WHERE HIS WIFE AT.

HE SAID,
"SHE'S IN THE KITCHEN COOKING."

SO I WENT AND GOT HER
AND SHE SAYS,

"I DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S GONNA GO ON,

"THE ONLY THING I'M ASKING
FROM YOU IS DON'T HURT MY KIDS."

Al: THREE CHILDREN,
TWO DAUGHTERS, ONE SON.

THE DAUGHTERS' AGES I BELIEVE
ARE 6 AND 4.

AND I THINK THE SON
WAS LIKE A BABY.

Rivi: I SAID "NO,
I'M NOT GONNA HURT YOUR KIDS."

GRISELDA, SHE GAVE ME
THE ORDERS TO KILL THEM.

I FIGURED
I WAS JUST GONNA DO HIM.

I WAS TALKING TO HER,
I HEARD TWO SHOTS,

A COUPLE-- [BANG, BANG]
I KNEW WHAT WAS UP.

MIGUEL HAD SHOT ALFREDO.

SO I TOLD OSCAR, I SAID,
"WATCH HER, I'LL BE RIGHT BACK."

I WENT TO THE NEXT ROOM.

AND I TALKED TO MIGUEL,
I SAID, "DONE?"

AND HE SAYS, "DONE."

WHILE WE WERE TALKING,
I HEARD THIS SCREAM

AND THEN I HEAR
A MACHINE GUN GO OFF.

[SCREAMING, GUNFIRE]

SO I WENT BACK TO THE ROOM

AND HE SAID,
"SHE TRIED TO JUMP ME."

SO OSCAR FIRED, SHE WAS SHOT
ABOUT 10, 15 TIMES IN THE CHEST,

AND SHE WAS STILL ALIVE,
SHE WAS MAKING THESE...

WEIRD NOISES, AND BLOOD'S
COMING OUT OF HER MOUTH,

SHE'S DYING.
SO I GRABBED MIGUEL'S GUN.

IT WAS A .380 WITH A SILENCER
AND I SHOT HER...

TWICE BEHIND THE HEAD,
PUT HER OUT OF HER MISERY.

I THOUGHT, "LET'S GET, YOU KNOW,
LET'S GET OUT OF HERE."

BUT MIGUEL TELLS ME,
"NO, GRISELDA TOLD ME

"TO KILL EVERYBODY
IN THE HOUSE."

I SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT?

"IT'S ONLY THE KIDS LEFT."

HE SAYS, "NO,
I'M GONNA KILL THE KIDS."

I SAID, "NO, YOU'RE NOT."

HE'S TELLING ME, "SHE TOLD ME

THAT SHE WOULD
PAY ME EXTRA FOR THEM,

"SO I'M GONNA MAKE THE MONEY."

I SAID, "YOU'RE NOT GONNA KILL
THOSE KIDS."

WELL, HE'S WALKING
TOWARDS THE KIDS.

SO I PULLED MY GUN OUT,
AND I TOLD HIM

TO LEAVE THE GODDAMN HOUSE.

SO MIGUEL GOT REAL MAD,
"WE GOTTA GET THAT LITTLE GIRL."

I SAID, "NO, NO. THIS IS IT.

"IT'S TIME TO GO,
GET OUT OF HERE."

I HAD TO GET THEM
OUT OF THERE AT GUNPOINT.

Man: ALFREDO AND GRISELDA
LORENZO

WERE FOUND SHOT AND KILLED

IN JUNE OF 1982
IN THEIR HOME.

IT WAS A MODEST HOME
IN THE RHODES SECTION OF MIAMI.

BACK IN 1982 I HAD JUST RECENTLY
GONE TO THE CENTAC SQUAD,

RECEIVED A CALL
FROM NELSON ANDREW,

WHO WAS A DETECTIVE--HOMICIDE
DETECTIVE IN THE CITY OF MIAMI.

THE BODIES WERE
IN SEPARATE ROOMS OF THE HOUSE

AND WHOEVER
COMMITTED THE HOMICIDE

LEFT THE CHILDREN
RIGHT INSIDE THE HOUSE

WITH THE DEAD PARENTS.
THEY ACTUALLY FOUND

THE TWO DAUGHTERS AND THE SON

PLAYING WITH THE BLOODY,
DEAD BODY OF THEIR MOTHER

INSIDE THE HOUSE.

Rivi: WE GOT PAID,
SO I EXPLAINED TO HER,

I TOLD HER, I SAID,
"WE DIDN'T DO THE KIDS."

SHE GOT PISSED, SHE SAYS, "THE
ORDER WAS TO KILL EVERYBODY."

I MEAN, WHEN SHE SAID EVERYBODY
IT MEANS EVERYBODY.

I SAID, "YOU KNOW,
I MADE THE DECISION

"TO LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE."
"WHY?"

I SAID, "THEY JUST BABIES."

BUT AFTER JOHNNIE CASTRO,
YOU KNOW,

WHEN THE BABY GOT KILLED,

I GUESS SHE GOT
USED TO IT AFTER THAT.

YOU KNOW, KILLING KIDS.

SHE LIKED TO BE AT WAR.

EVERY DAY SHE WAS
TALKING ABOUT IT,

WE GOTTA GET SO AND SO,
WE GOTTA GET SO AND SO,

WE GOTTA GET RID OF HIM.

IT WAS JUST...IT WAS
SOMETHING THAT SHE ENJOYED.

SHE WENT TO WAR WITH
PACO MEJIA, HE USED TO BE

AN ENFORCER FOR GRISELDA
YEARS BACK.

APPARENTLY, HE RIPPED HER OFF
AND HE WENT ON HIS OWN.

AND HE DECLARED WAR
ON GRISELDA.

Reporter: HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS
LEARNED SEVERAL WEEKS AGO

THAT A BIG SHIPMENT OF COCAINE
WORTH SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS

FROM COLOMBIA
NEVER ARRIVED HERE.

POLICE SAY IT WAS HEADED
TO NEW YORK CITY.

AND THAT'S ONE THING THAT SHE
DIDN'T FORGET OR FORGIVE.

SO I GO TO NEW YORK
TO KILL EVERYBODY

THAT WAS WORKING FOR
PACO MEJIA, ALL HIS CREW.

BROKE ALL THEIR RULES THERE TOO.

THE WORDS THAT THE PERSON
THAT I SPOKE TO WAS

"THERE IS
GONNA BE A BLOODBATH."

FROM THE STASHERS TO THE HITMEN,
11 PEOPLE, THEY ALL GOT KILLED.

11 PEOPLE. HMPH.
IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS.

IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 12,
BUT I LET ONE GO.

Man: HOMICIDE DETECTIVES ARE
NOW CONTACTING NEW YORK POLICE

TO INVESTIGATE ANY SIMILARITIES
BETWEEN ANY DRUG HITS

IN THE NEW YORK AREA AND THE
RECENT DRUG ASSASSINATIONS

HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA.

THEY WENT TO WAR.

WELL, GRISELDA
TOOK THE FIRST STEP.

Al: WE ARE NOW
AT THE MALL OF THE AMERICAS

WHICH BACK IN 1981 WAS CALLED
THE PAN-AMERICAN MALL.

SO WHEN WE GET TO THE MALL,
I SET UP ALL THE CARS

WHERE WE WANTED THEM AT.

Al: THIS IS THE SCENE OF THE
OCTAVIO MEJIA HOMICIDE,

HE WAS PACO'S FATHER.

BASICALLY, WHEN MEJIA
LEFT THE SHOPPING MALL...

THEY AMBUSHED HIM.

AND HE WAS SHOT NUMEROUS TIMES
BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT GUNMEN.

Rivi: A LOT OF PEOPLE WAS PISSED
BECAUSE THEY CLAIMED THAT

HE WASN'T A PART OF THE WAR
BETWEEN PACO AND GRISELDA.

SO MOST PEOPLE
FLIPPED ON GRISELDA.

SHE CREATED MORE ENEMIES,
BUT SHE DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT.

SHE LIKED THAT.

WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW,
HIS SON WAS THERE, PACO.

HE WAS IN THE CAR WHEN
HIS FATHER WENT IN THE MALL.

I WAS PISSED OFF
'CAUSE I MISSED HIM.

I'M GONNA GET HIM
A DIFFERENT WAY.

SOMEBODY HAD TIPPED US OFF
HE HAD A NEW HOUSE

IN KILLIAN PARKWAY.
SO GRISELDA SAYS,

"YOU'RE NOT GONNA MISS
THIS TIME, ARE YOU?"

AND I SAID, "NO, I'M GONNA BLOW
THE WHOLE HOUSE UP."

SHE SAID,
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

I SAID, "I'M GONNA PUT A BOMB,
KILL EVERYBODY."

AND I GOT ABOUT
200 STICKS OF DYNAMITE.

THAT GODDAMN EXPLOSION
WAS SO LOUD.

[BOOM]

THAT FIRST THING THAT WENT WAS
THE ROOF COME OUT OF THE HOUSE.

THE HOUSE CAME APART.

THE NEIGHBORS ALWAYS WONDERED

WHAT BUSTED THE CARS
AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

ALL THE WINDOWS WERE BUSTED.

I JUST WANT TO GET
TO THE GOOD NEWS

THAT THEY FOUND SOMEBODY
IN THERE.

TURNS OUT, I MISSED AGAIN.
THE HOUSE WAS EMPTY.

Al: THIS IS JUST ONE MORE,
YOU KNOW, SKIRMISH

IN THE GRISELDA BLANCO-MEJIA,
YOU KNOW, CONFLICT.

Rivi: TWO WEEKS LATER,
THEY HAD JUST GOTTEN WORD

THAT PACO MEJIA WAS ON
THE NEXT FLIGHT TO MIAMI

AND HE WAS BY HIMSELF.
GRISELDA, SHE SAYS,

"WELL, WE'RE GONNA GET HIM
AT THE AIRPORT.

"YOU ARE." SHE REACHED UNDER
ONE OF THE TABLES AND STUFF

AND HANDS ME A BAYONET,
16-INCH BAYONET.

SHE SAID, "I WANT YOU
TO KILL HIM WITH THIS."

SHE WANTED HIM
STABBED TO DEATH.

I SAID, "WHAT'S THIS?
WE CHANGED STYLES OR SOMETHING?"

THEY CALLED HIM THE PIG AND SHE
WANTED HIM KILLED LIKE A PIG.

SHE OFFERED ME
A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS,

SHE SAYS, "YEAH, BUT YOU
HAVE TO GET HIM INSIDE."

I SAID, "NO, I WON'T GO
INSIDE THE AIRPORT."

SHE SAYS, "WHY NOT?" I SAID,
"NO, THAT'S A SUICIDE MISSION,

"I DON'T DO
SUICIDE MISSIONS."

Al: MAX MERMELSTEIN AND RIVERITA

BOTH STRONGLY ADVISED
AGAINST THIS BIZARRE HIT.

Rivi: I'M NOT GOING
INTO THE AIRPORT

TO STAB THIS GUY TO DEATH
'CAUSE I DON'T WANNA GO TO JAIL.

GOTTA GET SOMEONE ELSE, AND SHE
SAYS, "OH, I GOT SOMEBODY ELSE."

I SAID "WHO?"
AND SHE SAYS, "MIGUEL."

MIGUEL PEREZ, MIGUELITO.

Al: MIGUELITO WAS KIND OF LIKE
RIVI WITH NO CLASS.

I MEAN, MIGUEL TOLD ME
ONE DAY IF THE MONEY WAS RIGHT

HE WOULD WALK
UP TO THE WHITE HOUSE

AND KILL THE PRESIDENT.

THIS IS A PICTURE
THAT WAS TAKEN OF HIM

SHORTLY AFTER HE ARRIVED HERE

IN 1982 ON THE MARIEL BOATLIFT.

Al: HE WAS ONE OF
THE SCARIEST GUYS I'VE EVER

REALLY ENCOUNTERED
IN MY CAREER.

Rivi: THAT'S WHEN THEY GOT
THE REPUTATION OF MARIELITOS,

FEARLESS MARIELITOS.

Al: HE WAS
MORE PHYSICALLY INTIMIDATING,

HE WAS BIGGER THAN RIVI,
STRONGER PHYSICALLY THAN RIVI.

HE'S THE KIND OF GUY
THAT YOU'D LOOK AT

AND YOU'D THINK TO YOURSELF,

"THIS GUY COULD SNAP
AT ANY MOMENT AND GO OFF

"AND PROBABLY
JUST SNAP YOUR NECK."

Rivi: I TALKED TO MIGUEL
AND HE WAS ALL FOR IT,

HE SAID "YEAH, I'M GONNA DO IT,
THEY'RE GONNA GIVE ME

"$250,000 PLUS A HOUSE
TO GET HIM INSIDE THE AIRPORT."

I TOLD HIM,
"MIGUEL, IF YOU GO IN THERE

"I WILL BACK YOU UP."

BUT MIGUELITO JUST SAYS "SCREW
IT" AND HE WENT AND DID IT.

Rivi: "THE ONLY THING
I'M GONNA DO FOR YOU,

"I'M GONNA SHOW YOU PACO
WHEN I'M UP HERE."

Al: THEY KNEW WHAT FLIGHT
HE WAS ON, WHEN HE WAS ARRIVING,

AND THEY WERE
HERE WAITING FOR HIM.

Rivi: SO SURE ENOUGH,
HERE COMES PACO,

THE LAST THING
HE EXPECTED WAS A...

A NIGGER TO HIT HIM.

Edna: AND AS HE WALKED OUT
FROM CUSTOMS

A MAN CAME UP WITH A BAYONET.

MIGUEL'S COMING FROM BEHIND HIM,

PUTS HIM, CHOKE HOLD,
AND PICKS HIM UP

AND STARTS STABBING HIM.

WITH A BAYONET.
SEVERAL TIMES.

I COUNTED 6 OR 7.

I MEAN EVERYBODY
IN THE AIRPORT WAS LIKE,

WITH THEIR MOUTHS OPEN,
LIKE THIS.

EVERYBODY WAS IN SHOCK,
NOBODY WAS SAYING NOTHING.

DROPS IT ON THE FLOOR
AND HE TAKES OFF RUNNING.

THAT'S WHEN EVERYBODY
STARTED SCREAMING.

POLICE OF COURSE RAN TO THE AREA
WHERE THIS PERSON WAS STABBED,

THEY POINTED OUT THE DIRECTION
THAT MIGUEL HAD FLED IN

AND WITHIN MOMENTS, YOU KNOW,
CAUGHT UP WITH HIM.

ONE OF THE OFFICERS
TACKLES MIGUEL,

HE LANDS ABOUT 3 FEET
AWAY FROM ME

AND MIGUEL'S LOOKING AT ME
LIKE SAYING, HELP ME,

YOU KNOW, WITH HIS EYES.

THEN I JUST SHOOK MY HEAD
AND I SAID, "UH-UH."

THERE WAS NOTHING
I COULD DO.

THERE WAS POLICE OFFICERS
COMING FROM EVERY DIRECTION.

THEY TOOK HIM INTO CUSTODY
AND WE JUST LEFT.

Al: THIS WAS REALLY OVER
THE TOP BECAUSE THIS PLACE

EVEN BACK THEN PRETTY MUCH
CRAWLS WITH POLICE.

THERE ARE POLICE
ON EVERY CONCOURSE.

AND TO ATTEMPT
SOMETHING LIKE THAT,

IT'S INSANE REALLY,
AND OBVIOUSLY

IT TURNED OUT THAT WAY
BECAUSE HE WAS CAUGHT.

BUT THAT'S THE KIND OF PERSON
THAT MIGUELITO WAS,

HE DIDN'T CARE.
HE HAD A JOB TO DO,

WHATEVER IT TAKES--
YOU GAVE HIM A GUY TO KILL

AND THAT'S WHAT HE DID.

BUT PACO SURVIVED THE STABBINGS

AND MIGUEL, HE WAS EVENTUALLY
CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTED MURDER,

SENTENCED TO I BELIEVE 15 YEARS.

THAT'S THE LAST TIME
I SAW MIGUEL.

Al: THAT WAS THE LAST
OVERT ACT I KNOW OF

AS FAR AS THE
MEJIA-GRISELDA BLANCO WAR.

GRISELDA BLANCO WAS THE CATALYST
FOR THE RECOGNITION

BY THE UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT

THAT MIAMI
HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM,

THAT WE WERE REALLY
A DODGE CITY.

IT WAS OUT OF FUCKING CONTROL.

Al: BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
WHEN PEOPLE START GETTING SHOT

OR GETTING KILLED,
A LOT OF HEAT COMES FROM IT.

YOU HAVE THIS GOOSE
THAT KEPT LAYING GOLDEN EGGS.

WHY MESS IT UP?

Jon: AND IT WAS ALL
BECAUSE OF THE VIOLENCE.

IT WASN'T BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
THERE WERE SO MANY DRUGS COMING,

THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE AS TO
HOW MANY DRUGS WERE COMING.

THEY STARTED FORMING
SPECIAL GROUPS.

Reporter: A SPECIAL
ANTI-NARCOTICS DETECTIVE SQUAD

KNOWN AS CENTAC 26.

I MEAN, I HAD GUYS
CHASING ME I NEVER--

YOU KNOW, WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?
WHAT ARE YOU? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW

WHO THESE PEOPLE WERE, YOU KNOW?
WHERE DID THEY COME FROM?

Reporter: PROSECUTORS EXPECT

MORE ARRESTS OF DRUG DEALERS
IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

REAGAN HAD BEEN ELECTED.

WE NEED TO GET THE PRESIDENT
TO COME TO DADE COUNTY

TO TALK TO THE WIDOW
OF A TAXICAB DRIVER

WHOSE HEAD HAS BEEN BLOWN AWAY.

Al: THE COCAINE WARS,
THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE,

THE HOMICIDE RATE, THE COVER
OF TIME, PARADISE LOST?,

LED TO ACTION.

VICE PRESIDENT BUSH'S TASKFORCE

ON VIOLENT CRIME
IN SOUTH FLORIDA,

FLOODING MIAMI
WITH FEDERAL AGENTS.

Man: IT IS A JOINT OPERATION
WITH THE STATE PEOPLE,

LOCAL POLICE OFFICIALS,
COASTGUARD, CUSTOMS.

SOUTH FLORIDA CANNOT BE
A HAVEN FOR CRIMINALS,

FOR SOPHISTICATED
AND ORGANIZED DRUG TRAFFICKERS,

FOR HIRED ASSASSINS.

FINALLY THE REST OF
THE UNITED STATES

WAS WAKING UP TO IT, THAT
IT WAS NOT A MIAMI PROBLEM,

IT WAS A NATIONAL PROBLEM.

THIS INITIATIVE WILL BRING
TOGETHER ALL OUR RESOURCES

TO COMBAT THE MAJOR DRUG TRAFFIC
AND THE CRIME PROBLEMS IN MIAMI.

I HAVE TODAY SENT A TELEGRAM
TO THE PRESIDENT IMPLORING HIM

TO PUT HOMESTEAD AIR FORCE BASE

ON A WAR FOOTING
TO INTERCEPT, STOP

AND SHOOT DOWN, IF NECESSARY,

DRUG-LADEN CLANDESTINE AIRCRAFT
AND VESSELS

WHICH ARE TRYING TO SMUGGLE
NARCOTICS INTO FLORIDA.

Man on radio: WE HAVE
AN UNIDENTIFIED VESSEL

JUST WEST
OF WEST END, GRAND BAHAMA.

CAN YOU SEND AN AIRCRAFT OUT
TO VISUALLY ID HIM?

Man: I HAVE RECEIVED
AUTHORIZATION

FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF COLOMBIA

TO FIRE INTO YOUR VESSEL.

Man: ROGER, 1-6-0, ALL RIGHT.

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING ON RADIO]

2nd man: PLEASE, PLEASE,
STOP, STOP.

Man: TELL HIM TO STOP
AND I WILL STOP.

3rd man: BEEN HIT.
GOT SMOKE, GOT SMOKE!

Reporter: AND THE AGENTS SAY
THEIR DOCKSIDE TESTS CONFIRM

THEY GOT A TONNE OF COCAINE
WORTH $31 MILLION WHOLESALE,

A COOL BILLION ON THE STREET.

Man: THE AMOUNT OF DRUGS
THAT WAS SEIZED IN THIS AREA

HAS GONE UP 2500%.

2nd man: THE NET WEIGHT
APPEARS TO BE

SOMEWHERE AROUND 3700 POUNDS.

IT'S BY FAR
THE LARGEST SEIZURE

EVER MADE
BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

IN FACT I WOULD SAY IT'S 4 TIMES
THE LARGEST WE'VE EVER MADE.

Reporter: ARE YOU SAYING
IT WILL NO LONGER BE POSSIBLE

TO SMUGGLE DRUGS
INTO THE UNITED STATES?

NO, WE HAVEN'T SAID THAT.

Reporter: WHAT
ARE YOU SAYING?

WHAT CLAIMS
DO YOU MAKE?

IT'S BECOMING
PROGRESSIVELY MORE DIFFICULT.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT
MIAMI'S RUNAWAY CRIME RATE

HAS BEEN BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL,

BUT THERE IS NOW
A FULL-SCALE COMMITMENT

ON THE PART OF CITIZENS,
GOVERNMENT,

POLICE AND OUR COURTS

TO WAGE A BATTLE
AGAINST THE CRIMINAL ENEMY.

[MAN SHOUTING IN SPANISH]

SHUT UP! SHUT UP!

AND IT REALLY WAS
THE BEGINNING OF THE END

OF THE COCAINE COWBOYS ERA.

Man: THE MURDER RATE HAS
CERTAINLY COME DOWN SINCE 1980.

THERE'S BEEN LIKE A 50% DECREASE
IN THE INNER CITY

AND ABOUT A 30% DECREASE
IN THE SUBURBS.

Rivi: SO THERE WAS JUST
TOO MUCH POLICE

AND A LOT OF HEAT ON TV,

SO I TOLD GRISELDA
I SAID, "YOU KNOW,

"IT'S GETTING REAL HOT HERE,

"LET'S TAKE A VACATION
SOMEWHERE."

SHE SAID, "YEAH, YOU KNOW,
WE'RE THINKING ABOUT MOVING

"THE OPERATION TO CALIFORNIA.
RIVI, ARE YOU GOING WITH ME?"

I'M DONE WITH THE KILLING,
I GOT ENOUGH MONEY,

I'M GOING BACK TO CHICAGO.

NOW THAT WE KNOW, YOU KNOW,
IN HINDSIGHT,

THAT SHE LEFT THE AREA
BACK IN AROUND 1984,

CLEARLY THE HOMICIDE RATE
WENT DOWN IN THAT TIME PERIOD.

Rivi: I WAS HAPPY TO LEAVE MIAMI

'CAUSE I KNEW ALL THIS HEAT
THAT WAS AROUND ME, YOU KNOW,

AND SHE DIDN'T WANNA
UNDERSTAND THIS.

FACED WITH THE FACT
THAT THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION

HAD RELOCATED TO CALIFORNIA,

AND I'M A MIAMI AGENT,

I HAD TO CONVINCE MY SUPERIORS
THAT IT WAS WORTHWHILE

FOR ME TO INVESTIGATE
A CASE IN CALIFORNIA.

I KNEW IT WAS JUST
A MATTER OF TIME

BEFORE THEY CAME AFTER US.

YOU KNOW, I SAID,
"IF I EVER GET HER,

"I'M GONNA GIVE HER A KISS
ON THE CHEEK."

SO SHE WENT TO CALIFORNIA
AND STARTED

HER BUSINESS OUT THERE.

RAFA DIDN'T WANNA REALLY SEND
PRODUCT OUT THERE

SO SHE DECIDED TO BECOME
FRIENDLY WITH MARTA

TO GET THE COCAINE.

Al: SHE WAS A RELATIVE
OF THE OCHOAS.

Jon: "WELL, I DON'T NEED RAFA,
I CAN GET EVERYTHING I WANT

"THIS WAY," AND SHE DID.

AND MAX SAYS TO ME
"THERE ISN'T GONNA BE

"ANY COKE FOR A WHILE BECAUSE
THERE'S A BIG PROBLEM HERE.

"GRISELDA'S DECIDED
SHE DOESN'T WANNA PAY

"FOR LIKE 1500 KILOS
OR SOMETHING."

AND I SAY, "WELL, WHAT DOES
THAT HAVE TO DO WITH US?"

"WELL, THE OCHOAS
DON'T WANNA SEND ANYTHING

"UNTIL EVERYTHING
IS STRAIGHTENED OUT."

SO GRISELDA SAYS,
"I WANNA KILL THIS BITCH."

I SAID, "WHO WOULD THAT BE?"
SHE SAYS, "THIS BITCH."

Jon: GRISELDA'S ANSWER WAS
IF SHE KILLED MARTA

THERE WOULD NEVER BE
ANY PROOF

WHETHER SHE GAVE
THE MONEY TO MARTA

AND MARTA DIDN'T SEND
THE MONEY TO HER FAMILY.

Rivi: I START TELLING GRISELDA,

I SAID "THIS IS DONE, YOUR
BUSINESS GOES DOWN THE DRAIN.

"AIN'T NO PLACE FOR US TO
HIDE, NOWHERE IN THE WORLD,

"THEY ARE GOING TO CHASE YOU
FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE."

"NO, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE."
AND I SAID,

"THIS DON'T NEED TO BE DONE."

THAT WAS HER OUT--
"I'M JUST GONNA KILL MARTA

"AND THEN I'M GONNA SAY
I GAVE HER THE MONEY

"AND THIS WAY
THEY CAN COME TO ME,

"'I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE
MONEY IS, I GAVE IT TO HER.'"

I TOLD HER, "GRISELDA," I SAID,
"WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?"

SHE SAID, "JUST KILL HER."

AS SOON AS SHE WALKED IN
AND SHE SAW GRISELDA,

SHE SHIT ON HERSELF.

SHE SAID, "MADRINA, GODMOTHER,
WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU?"

GRISELDA SAYS, "NOTHING."

SHE WAS KIDNAPPED
AND THEN MURDERED AND FOUND...

ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

OBVIOUSLY SHE WAS BLOOD MARKED,
YOU COULDN'T KILL MARTA.

THAT'S WHEN
ANOTHER WAR STARTED.

AND THIS IS WHAT
ALL BLEW UP IN HER FACE.

Rivi: EVERYBODY TURNED ON HER.

RAFA, WHO WAS HER BEST FRIEND,
FLIPPED ON HER.

Jon: AND I REMEMBER
RAFA AND EVERYBODY...

EVERYBODY FROM THE CARTEL,

DECIDING, "WELL, I THINK WE'RE
GONNA HAVE TO KILL THIS WOMAN."

THERE WAS A PRICE
ON GRISELDA'S HEAD.

THEY TOLD HER,
"WHENEVER WE SEE YOU,

"WE'RE GOING AFTER YOU."

MAX GETTING IN TROUBLE,

THAT WAS THE BEGINNING
OF THE END.

HE KNEW HE A HAD A PROBLEM.

HE SHOULDN'T HAVE SMOKED IT,
BUT HE DID.

HE DIDN'T THINK
IT WAS COMING TO HIM.

MAX CALLS ME UP, HE SAYS,
"I THINK I GOT SOME HEAT,

"I'M GETTING IN MY CAR
AND I'M GOING FOR A RIDE,

"YOU STAY
ON THE CELL PHONE WITH ME."

"OKAY, MAX, I'LL STAY
ON THE PHONE WITH YOU."

SO MAX GETS IN HIS CAR
AND DRIVES OUT.

HE GETS OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY,
HE SAYS,

"UH-OH, THEY'RE COMING
FROM EVERY DIRECTION."

I KNEW
I WAS UNDER SURVEILLANCE.

THE MARKED CARS
BLOCKED OFF MY PATH

AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW,
I HAD 40 GUNS POINTING AT ME.

Jon: END OF THE CONVERSATION.

Mickey: AND THEY ARRESTED HIM,
THAT WAS THE LAST WE SAW OF MAX.

Jon: I GOT LIKE MILLIONS
OF DOLLARS

BURIED IN GARBAGE BAGS
IN MY LAWN.

THAT NIGHT, I'M OUT THERE
WITH A FLASHLIGHT

DIGGING UP BAGS OF MONEY 'CAUSE
I'M AFRAID THEY'RE COMING.

AND I LIVED ON THE EVERGLADES--

I JUMPED INTO A CANOE
I HAD WITH LIKE--

I'M NOT EXACTLY--
$6 MILLION TO $8 MILLION,

THREW IT IN THE CANOE,
PADDLED TO THE OTHER SIDE

AND BURIED
IN THE EVERGLADES

THINKING THEY'RE COMING
TO MY HOUSE.

NOBODY CAME, NOTHING HAPPENED.

NOBODY THOUGHT THERE WAS
GONNA BE ANY PROBLEM.

MICKEY AND EVERYBODY SAID,

"WELL, I HAVEN'T SEEN
ANY PROBLEMS WITH

"THE LAST PLANE THAT LANDED,

"YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING
SEEMED TO BE FINE."

I SAID, "OKAY, WELL,
THEN LET'S JUST KEEP GOING

"UNTIL WE FIND OUT."

JON SAID THERE WAS
NO REASON TO BE WORRIED.

WE THOUGHT JON WAS SO SMART.

Jon: I REMEMBER SEPTEMBER 20TH,

FOR THE SIMPLE REASON
THAT I COULDN'T SLEEP.

AT THAT PARTICULAR NIGHT
I WAS WORKING

WITH MICKEY AND HIS CREW.

AND BECAUSE I COULDN'T SLEEP,
I DECIDED THAT I WOULD GO

TO A RADIO ROOM
THAT WE HAD SET UP

HERE IN MIAMI TO MONITOR
THE INCOMING PLANES.

IT WAS THE REGULAR TRIPS,
THE ONLY THING THAT WAS UNUSUAL,

AND IT SHOULD HAVE
GIVEN IT AWAY,

IT WAS REAL QUIET ON THE RADIO,

'CAUSE THEY KNOW THAT
WE LISTENED TO EVERYTHING.

TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH,
I LOOKED AROUND WHEN I DROVE OFF

BECAUSE I WAS STILL PARANOID
FROM MAX

AND I SAW NOTHING,
NOTHING AT ALL.

UM...EVERYTHING WENT AS USUAL.

Jon: THE PLANE LANDED, I SAID,
"OH, MAN, ANOTHER GOOD TRIP.

"I'M GOING HOME, I FEEL GREAT."

Mickey: AND AS SOON AS THE
AIRPLANE LANDED

AND WENT IN THE BARN,

THEY SHOWED UP IN HELICOPTERS
AND ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE

JUMPED OUT
WITH GUNS EVERYWHERE.

Man: STEP DOWN SLOWLY,
KEEP YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR!

HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!

Jon: I HEARD A NOISE,

IT WAS LIKE THE PLACE WAS HIT
WITH LIGHTNING OR THUNDER.

AND THE GUYS THAT WERE
IN THE AIRPLANE, THEY ALL RAN.

Jon: AND THEY JUST
DROVE THIS TRUCK

PROBABLY 60 MILES AN HOUR
THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR.

IT WAS A SIMULTANEOUS BUST,
TAMPA WITH MIAMI.

THEY CAME IN THERE ALL IN BLACK

AND WITH THESE
NIGHT GOGGLES AND MASKS

AND IT WAS LIKE, I SAID,
"WHAT AM I, BACK IN VIETNAM?

"YOU KNOW, THIS IS NUTS."

I WENT OUT THE BACK DOOR.

"WHAT, AM I GONNA
SHOOT IT OUT WITH YOU GUYS?"

HAD A SMALL CONFRONTATION
WITH ONE OF THE GUYS...

"GET ON THE FLOOR AND SHUT UP!"
"YEAH, ALL RIGHT."

AND THEY LOOKED AT ME AT FIRST,

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET, "ROBERTS!
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

AND I SAID "I GUESS
I FUCKED UP, HUH?"

AND HE SAID,
"YOU FUCKED UP, MAN.

"WE WOULD HAVE COME
TO YOUR HOUSE LATER,

"BUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING
YOU MADE IT EASY FOR US."

"I COULDN'T SLEEP, MAN."
HE SAID, "WELL, IT'S TOO BAD."

AND WHEN I GOT DOWNTOWN,
I HEARD ON THE RADIO,

"THERE'S SHOOTING!
THERE'S GUNFIRE! BANG!

"THERE'S ALL KINDS OF WAR!"
I SAID,

"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
IS THIS INVOLVING ME?"

"THAT'S YOUR PLANE,
THAT'S YOUR FARM UP THERE."

THERE'S GUNFIRE,
THERE'S SHOOTING.

THEY WERE RUNNING ALL OVER,
THEY WERE SHOOTING GUNS.

"YOUR FRIEND IS SHOOTING AT US."
MY FRIEND, MICKEY.

Mickey: I TRIED TO RUN
IN THE AIRPLANE.

MICKEY HAD A FLARE GUN,
AND AROUND THE PLANE

THERE WERE GASOLINE
TANKS WHICH WERE USED

TO REFUEL THE PLANE
TO GET OUT OF THERE.

I PUSHED ONE OVER.

MICKEY WANTED TO ESCAPE,

SO HE SHOT THE FLARE GUN...

Mickey: SO I HIT THE SWAMP.
I WATCHED THE SHOW ALL DAY LONG.

Jon: THEY COULDN'T FIND HIM,
AND THEY WERE CHASING HIM

THROUGH THE WOODS ALL NIGHT.

THESE PEOPLE WENT NUTS.

Reporter: EARLY THIS MORNING,
CUSTOMS AND FBI AGENTS

BEGAN A ROUND-UP OF 12 PEOPLE
AUTHORITIES SAY

HELPED TRANSPORT NEARLY
20,000 POUNDS OF COCAINE

INTO THIS COUNTRY
BY SEA AND BY AIR FROM COLOMBIA.

ONE OF THE MEN BEHIND THE SCHEME
WAS FUGITIVE MICHAEL MUNDAY.

Man: THE MUNDAY ORGANIZATION
TRANSPORTED COCAINE

FROM COLOMBIA

USING AIRCRAFT
MAKING DIRECT FLIGHTS.

AN AIRCRAFT IN COMBINATION
WITH SMALL BOATS.

THE AIRCRAFT
DROPPED LOADS IN THE BAHAMAS.

IT WASN'T THEIR COCAINE
AND THEY DIDN'T SELL

COCAINE ON THE STREETS,
ALL THEY DID WAS TRANSPORT

FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND CHARGE
A FEE FOR THE TRANSPORTATION.

BASICALLY, A CONTRACT SERVICE.

Man: MANY OF THOSE SHIPMENTS
WERE ATTACHED TO A HIGHLY

SOPHISTICATED HOMING BEACON

THAT ALLOWED
THE BAD GUYS TO FIND THEIR DRUGS

WHEN AUTHORITIES
WERE NOT AROUND.

THIS TRANSMITS A RADIO SIGNAL

AS WELL AS HAVING INFRARED LIGHT

SO THEY CAN SEE IT AT NIGHT
WITH GOGGLES.

SO THIS JUST SHOWS
HOW SOPHISTICATED THEY WERE.

MAX MERMELSTEIN
BECAME THE WITNESS

WHO WANTS TO TALK ABOUT,
AMONG OTHER THINGS,

MURDERS IN MIAMI.

WE'RE GOING
TO DEBRIEF THIS GUY...

AND QUITE FRANKLY,
AT FIRST I DIDN'T BELIEVE

75% OF WHAT HE SAID,
IT WAS JUST TOO OUTLANDISH.

MAX ROLLED.

HE ROLLED OVER ON ALL OF US.

AND STARTED COOPERATING
WITH THEM IN JAIL.

I TOLD JON, HE DIDN'T BELIEVE,
HE DIDN'T LISTEN TO ME.

I TOLD THEM FROM DAY ONE
THAT MAX WAS WEAK

THAT HE WOULD SNITCH ON US
LATER DOWN THE ROAD

AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY
I WANNA KILL HIM SO BAD

BUT THEY WOULDN'T LET ME,
YOU KNOW.

THE GOVERNMENT HAD NO IDEA,

AND, HONEST TO GOD, IF IT WASN'T
FOR MAX MERMELSTEIN...

I DON'T THINK THEY WOULD
HAVE EVER CAUGHT US.

AND FILLED IN THE GAPS.

THEY KNEW NOTHING OF
WHERE THE FARM WAS,

THEY KNEW NOTHING OF OUR TRIPS,

THEY KNEW NOTHING. WE HAD BEEN
WORKING FOR LIKE FIVE YEARS.

MAX WAS LIKE FAMILY.

Mickey: I NEVER FIGURED
HE'D DO WHAT HE DID.

THEY CAME THE NEXT DAY

AND THEY BUSTED OUR GATE,
AND SEIZED THE HOUSE.

WE WERE ABLE TO SEIZE PROPERTY
IN THE VALUE OF $130,000,000

IN THE FLORIDA AREA.

Reporter: 35 PASO FINO
BREEDING HORSES

AND 35 ACRES OF RANCHLAND
IN MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA,

WAS ALSO CONFISCATED.

Toni: THIS IS FRONT-PAGE
NEWSPAPER THE NEXT DAY,

AND EVERYBODY WAS ALL OVER ME.

I MEAN, PEOPLE
WANTING TO KILL ME

BECAUSE THEY SAID
JON OWED THEM MONEY,

PEOPLE THAT HAD HIS MONEY

CERTAINLY WEREN'T GIVING IT
TO ME.

AND MAX MADE THE INDICTMENT
AGAINST MICKEY AND ME.

WHEN I'M READING THE INDICTMENTS
I'M ALSO JUST LIKE, HOLY SHIT.

I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT HE WAS

ACTUALLY WORKING
WITH THE CARTEL.

I DIDN'T KNOW
RAFA WAS IN THE CAR--

I DIDN'T KNOW ANY OF THIS.
I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING

I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING.
I'M JUST SAYING NOBODY REALIZED

THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT JON
WAS INVOLVED IN.

YOU GET ON THE TRIP WHERE
YOU ARE MAKING SO MUCH MONEY

THAT YOU ARE JUST SO POWERFUL

THAT NOTHING WAS GONNA--
IT WASN'T GONNA HAPPEN.

AND I REMEMBER THE DAY HE WAS,
YOU KNOW, SITTING IN THE CHAIR

CRYING LIKE A BABY
THAT HE HAD TO LEAVE

EVERYTHING HE LOVED AND...

I...I HAVE NOBODY TO BLAME
BUT MYSELF, NOBODY.

TIME TO GO, YOU GOTTA GO.

Rivi: EVERY DAY I TALKED TO HER,
AND SHE SAID, "NO,

"YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT A RAT."

I SAID, "HE'S WORKING
FOR THE POLICE, THAT'S WHY

"I'M NOT NEAR YOU
'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA GO TO JAIL

"BUT I AIN'T GOING WITH YOU."
"OH, COME TO LOS ANGELES."

I SAID "NO, NO,
I AM ALL RIGHT OVER HERE."

WE LOCATED A SMALL HOUSE
THAT THEY HAD RENTED.

WE KNEW THAT
SHE WAS IN THE RESIDENCE

SO WE FOUND HER,
AND IN WE WENT.

I WENT UPSTAIRS AND FOUND HER
SITTING IN BED

READING THE BIBLE,
AND I JUST WALKED UP TO HER,

I OBVIOUSLY HAD MY WEAPON DRAWN.

SHE WAS PRETTY STARTLED.

YOU WOULD NEVER THINK THAT SHE
WAS A VIOLENT, HOMICIDAL MANIAC.

Rivi: THEY ARRESTED
HER AT HOME.

AND THEN I GAVE HER
A LITTLE KISS ON HER CHEEK

AS I PROMISED I WOULD
TO THE AGENTS

MANY, MANY MONTHS EARLIER.

Reporter: POLICE ARE SAYING
SHE MAY BE RESPONSIBLE

FOR AS MANY AS 200 MURDERS--

THAT OVER A PERIOD OF MORE THAN
A DECADE OF DRUG WARS.

TONIGHT, AN ARREST
THAT COULD BRING DOWN

ONE OF SOUTH FLORIDA'S
MOST INFAMOUS CRIME FIGURES.

Rivi: LATER THEY ARRESTED
HER KIDS.

EVERYTHING CRUMBLED
FOR REAL, YOU KNOW?

I'M JUST LOOKING NOW FOR MYSELF.

EVERYBODY IS IN PRISON
EXCEPT ME

AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ME NOW.

Al: ABOUT THE SAME TIME,
HE AND HIS BROTHERS

ARE AT THE AIRPORT
IN A STOLEN VEHICLE.

AND THEY GET STOPPED
BY THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE,

RESIST ARREST,
THEY GOT COCAINE ON THEM,

SO THEY ARE IN CUSTODY.

EVER SINCE THEN
I'VE BEEN IN CUSTODY.

Burstyn: EVENTUALLY, THE
DRUG MARKET WAS SERIOUSLY

DISMEMBERED
BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

A LOT OF THAT MONEY
KIND OF DISAPPEARED,

AND AS DRUG MERCHANTS
WERE BEING PROSECUTED,

CONVICTED AND IMPRISONED,
A REMARKABLE THING HAPPENED.

THE BUSINESSES THAT
THEY FREQUENTED AND SUPPORTED

STARTED DRYING UP
AND CLOSING DOWN.

Reporter: THE SUNSHINE STATE
BANK IS OUT OF BUSINESS.

SUNSHINE STATE ALLEGEDLY

WAS BOUGHT
WITH LAUNDERED DRUG MONEY.

Burstyn: ALL THE NIGHTCLUBS
DRIED UP,

CAR DEALERSHIPS
STARTED TO GO BROKE,

UH...JEWELRY SHOPS.

THE REAL ESTATE BUYERS
ARE DETERIORATING TREMENDOUSLY.

THEIR BUSINESSES AS SUCH

HAVE BEEN SUFFERING
TREMENDOUSLY.

AND THAT COLLAPSE
CREATED NEW OPPORTUNITY.

THE ECONOMY OF MIAMI
WAS KEPT TOGETHER

BY SPECULATORS WHO HAD MADE A
LOT OF MONEY IN THE DRUG TRADES.

IF YOU WERE A CAR DEALER
WHOSE SALES WENT FROM

20 MILLION A YEAR
TO 60 MILLION A YEAR

FOR TEN YEARS,
YOU'VE GOT AN EXTRA

HALF A BILLION DOLLARS
KICKING AROUND.

IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN THERE

IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE HORRORS

OF THE COCAINE COWBOYS,
ABSOLUTELY.

DRUGS DESTROY A COMMUNITY,

WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH
STREET-LEVEL.

WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
DRUG DEALING ON A LEVEL

WHERE MAJOR DRUG DEALERS

ARE LIVING HERE,
VACATIONING HERE, BUYING HOMES,

LAUNDERING THEIR MONEY
AND SO FORTH,

THAT PICKS UP THE ECONOMY
OF A CITY OR A COMMUNITY.

AND A LOT OF THE MONEY SECRETLY
DID GO INTO INFRASTRUCTURE.

Reporter: $2.3 BILLION WORTH
OF CONSTRUCTION

IS CURRENTLY UNDER WAY
IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI.

Burstyn: THE GENERAL
CONSTRUCTION AND EVERYTHING

IN DOWNTOWN
AND ON BRICKELL.

Reporter: DOWNTOWN
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OFFICIALS

SAY ANOTHER BILLION DOLLARS'
WORTH OF CONSTRUCTION

WILL BE IN PROGRESS
WITHIN THE NEXT 6 TO 8 MONTHS.

PHEW.
IT BUILT HALF THE CITY.

IT BUILT THE HIGH-RISES,
IT BUILT THE SCRAPES.

Reporter: THIS BUILDING BOOM
THEY SAY

WILL LAST
FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

THE DRUG TRADE SAVED MIAMI
IN A LOT OF WAYS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THIS SKYLINE,
A LOT OF THIS REAL ESTATE

WAS BUILT OR BOUGHT
OR PAID FOR WITH DRUG MONEY.

Reporter: THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION
MEANS AT LEAST

25,000 ADDITIONAL JOBS AND AN
ANNUAL PAYROLL IN THE MILLIONS.

THE NEW CONDOMINIUMS,
OFFICE BUILDINGS, AND BANKS,

WILL ADD AN ADDITIONAL
$20 MILLION

TO THE CITY OF MIAMI'S
TAX BASE.

AS YOU HAD THE COCAINE
COMING INTO MIAMI

AND AS YOU HAD
THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS

GOING INTO LATIN AMERICA,
LEGITIMATE MIAMI

ALSO REALIZED WE'RE
THE GATEWAY TO THE AMERICAS.

Burstyn: THE DRUG TRADE
CERTAINLY PUT MIAMI ON THE MAP.

Reporter: NEWSWEEK HAS CALLED
MIAMI AMERICA'S CASABLANCA.

WHAT A CONTRAST
FROM 7 YEARS AGO.

ONE THING ABOUT
THE HORRIBLE PUBLICITY,

THERE WAS A LOT OF IT.
MIAMI WAS ON EVERYONE'S LIPS.

MIAMI.
MIAMI.

MIAMI.
TO MIAMI BEACH.

EVERYONE IN THE WORLD.
PEOPLE SAID,

"YOU KNOW, I'VE ALWAYS
WANTED TO GO TO MIAMI,

"IS IT REALLY LIKE THIS?
THE BEACHES I SEE

"AND THE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN
AND THE NIGHTCLUBS."

Woman: IT'S CALLED CLUB 1235.
IT'S THE PLACE WHERE

THAT BIG MIAMI VICE BASH
WAS HELD SATURDAY NIGHT.

Burstyn: WE WERE ON TV
EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT PRIMETIME

WITH MIAMI VICE.

THE STORYLINES WERE BASED
ENTIRELY ON DRUG TRAFFICKING.

Reporter: MIAMI VICE MAY NOT
ENHANCE THE CITY'S IMAGE

BUT IT'S DOING GREAT THINGS
FOR THE LOCAL ECONOMY.

Man: DON JOHNSON AND MIAMI VICE
AND AL PACINO IN SCARFACE,

IT WAS ALLURING.

THIS IS MIAMI,
THINGS ARE MORE RELAXED.

Edna: IT WAS INTERESTING
BECAUSE WHEN MIAMI VICE CAME OUT

THEY WOULD FIND AN OLD
DILAPIDATED OR ABANDONED HOTEL

OR A GAS STATION
ON MIAMI BEACH,

THEY'D PUT IN NEON,
THEY'D PAINT IT,

THEY'D FIX IT UP,
THEY'D REHAB IT,

AND SHOOT THEIR SCENES THERE

AND LEAVE
A REHABILITATED SITE BEHIND.

AND I THINK THEY MADE
A LOT OF PEOPLE

SEE WHAT
THE POSSIBILITIES WERE.

Burstyn: IN THE LATE '80S
AND EARLY '90S

THE EUROPEAN MODELING
INDUSTRY DISCOVERED SOUTH BEACH

AND OF COURSE
AFTER THE MODELS

COME THE WEALTHY
EUROPEAN VISITORS

WHO WERE CHASING THE MODELS.

AND WE ENDED UP GETTING
THE GLITTERATI.

IT REMINDS ME
OF GREENWICH VILLAGE 1965

BECAUSE IT'S HAPPENING
AND IT'S NEW.

THEN THE PAPARAZZI
TOOK IT FROM THERE

AND CREATED A PHENOMENON.

TOOK IT FROM THE PREDOMINANTLY
SLEEPY VACATION SPOT

TO A THRIVING INTERNATIONAL
CAPITAL OF THE AMERICAS.

AND THE WORLD AGAIN STARTED TO
FLOCK TO MIAMI AND WE MADE IT.

Edna: I THINK WE COULD HAVE
HAD A RENAISSANCE

WITHOUT SO MANY PEOPLE
HAVING TO DIE FOR IT.

I COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT IT.
AND SO COULD

A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE
LIVED WITHOUT

THE ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION
OF MONEY TO THIS COMMUNITY.

THERE WAS TOO MUCH
COLLATERAL DAMAGE.

I DON'T THINK
THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS

WERE WORTH THE COST ON SOCIETY.

Edna: I STILL LOVE MIAMI,
BUT I THINK I LOVE IT MORE

FOR WHAT IT WAS
BEFORE THE COCAINE WARS,

I MEAN, AT WHAT PRICE
A SKYLINE?

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE
FOR A SHINY SKYLINE?

IT WASN'T WORTH IT,
TOO MANY PEOPLE DIED FOR IT.

Bob: BUT MIAMI HONESTLY
COULDN'T BE WHERE IT IS NOW

WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH
THE HORRORS

AND TRAGEDIES
OF THE '70S AND '80S.

TODAY, PEOPLE KINDA GET A KICK
OUT OF TALKING ABOUT

HOW THEY SURVIVED
THE '70S AND '80S IN MIAMI.

Jon: I CAME BACK HERE
'CAUSE I HAD TO COME BACK HERE.

I HAD NO CHOICE.

AND WHEN I FIRST GOT OUT,
I'LL NEVER FORGET,

I WENT TO THE HOTEL
ON SOUTH BEACH,

IT WAS CALLED THE SURFCOMBER,
AND THE FIRST MORNING

I WOKE UP, I REMEMBER
GOING TO THE BEACH.

I WAS LAYING HERE AND HERE COMES
THIS GIRL OUT OF THE WATER,

AND AS SHE'S WALKING
OUT OF THE WATER,

I SEE SHE'S GOT NO TOP ON.

AND YOU GOTTA REALIZE,

I'M IN JAIL NOW
11 YEARS OR SOMETHING

AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS GIRL
WITH NO TOP ON,

I'M SAYING, "MY GOD."
I GOT SCARED.

I RAN BACK TO THE ROOM
AND I WOULDN'T EVEN COME OUT

OF THE ROOM FOR LIKE A DAY,
I WAS SO LIKE, "WHAT HAPPENED?

"THE WORLD HAS CHANGED HERE,
YOU KNOW."

THIS CITY HAD GROWN SO MUCH
IN THE 12 YEARS THAT I WAS GONE.

I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW,
TIMES CHANGE.

BACK THEN,
WE JUST DIDN'T GIVE A SHIT.

MIAMI BACK THEN
WAS AN OPEN TOWN,

IT WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

I MEAN, IF YOU TOLD ME
YOU WANNA KILL SO AND SO,

ALL I ASK YOU IS
JUST POINT HIM OUT TO ME

AND I WENT AND SHOT HIM.

NOW IT'S NOT OPEN ANYMORE,

YOU KNOW, IT'S A DIFFERENT TOWN.

THESE DAYS, I WOULDN'T DO IT.

I'D DO IT DIFFERENTLY,
TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

IT'S A MUCH DIFFERENT CITY
THAN I REMEMBER IT.

Jon: AND A LOT OF PEOPLE
I KNOW, YOU KNOW,

THEY'RE NOT AROUND ANYMORE.

Rivi: MY FRIENDS,
THAT WE GREW UP TOGETHER,

THEY'RE ALL DEAD.
THEY GOT KILLED.

I WENT TO MIAMI, I PLEADED
GUILTY TO THE TWO MURDERS.

A LIFE SENTENCE IN HIS CASE
TO BE SERVED CONCURRENTLY.

I'VE BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.

Al: AS A RESULT OF THE
INFORMATION GIVEN TO US BY RIVI

THERE WERE 14 DIFFERENT
HOMICIDES

CLOSED ON
GRISELDA BLANCO'S ORGANIZATION.

WHEN HE FLIPPED AND TOLD US
CHAPTER AND VERSE

ABOUT ALL THESE
DIFFERENT HOMICIDES

AND HOW SHE ORDERED THEM,
THEN SHE WAS DONE.

SHE WAS ESSENTIALLY
OUR JOHN GOTTI

AND RIVI WAS HER
"SAMMY THE BULL" GRAVANO.

THE CASE AGAINST
GRISELDA BLANCO

TURNED OUT TO BE
LIKE A TOTAL DUD.

INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTING
AND FRUSTRATING.

SHE ENDED UP PLEADING TO LIKE
BASICALLY A WALK IN THE PARK.

THROUGH THE CRACKS, YEAH.
I THOUGHT WE HAD HER.

I MEAN IT WAS SHAMEFUL,
WHAT HAPPENED.

SO ONCE WE LOST RIVI,
WE LOST THE CONNECTION

BETWEEN THE HIT GUYS
AND GRISELDA.

RIVERITA CREATED THE CASE
AND DESTROYED THE CASE.

BASICALLY TORPEDOED
ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT

HOMICIDE INVESTIGATIONS THAT
I CAN EVEN IMAGINE BEING DONE.

Bob: DURING THE COURSE OF HER
REIGN OF TERROR, IF YOU WILL,

SHE MADE A LOT OF ENEMIES
BOTH HERE AND IN COLOMBIA

AND THEY HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN,

AND THEY CERTAINLY HAVEN'T
FORGOTTEN WITH RESPECT TO

UBER AND OSVALDO.

THE SAYING THAT
LIVE BY THE SWORD

AND DIE BY THE SWORD
IS VERY TRUE

IN THE BUSINESS
THEY WERE IN.

AND IT'S LIKELY THAT IF SHE'S
EVER RETURNED TO COLOMBIA,

THAT SHE'LL MEET
THE SAME FATE.

Al: THERE IS CERTAINLY NOBODY
MORE DESERVING OF

THE DEATH PENALTY THAN SHE IS.

SHE SHOULD BE ON DEATH ROW.

BUT, I TAKE A LITTLE BIT
OF COMFORT IN THE FACT THAT

AT LEAST UNTIL I RETIRE,
SHE'LL STILL BE IN PRISON.

I CAN'T SAY FOR HOW MUCH LONGER,

BUT SHE WILL BE...
STILL BE IN PRISON

AS LONG AS I'M A COP.

Rivi: WHEN I MOVED TO FLORIDA
I WAS IN ORLANDO

IN DISNEY WORLD
WITH MY KIDS, YOU KNOW,

I WAS TALKING TO
THESE PEOPLE FROM GERMANY.

"OH, YOU'RE FROM MIAMI,
OH, MY GOD."

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH MIAMI?"

"OH, MY GOD, THEY KILL
PEOPLE THERE EVERY DAY.

"WE'RE WATCHING
THE NEWS IN EUROPE."

AND I SAID, "YEAH, MAN,
THEY DO, VERY DANGEROUS TOWN."

"OH, I'M NOT GOING THERE
ON VACATION."

MY WIFE WAS JUST
LOOKING AT ME LIKE...

IF YOU ONLY KNEW.

BUT THE THING
I WANTED TO KNOW WAS

WHAT HAPPENED
TO ALL THE MONEY.

Reporter: THE INVASION
CAME BEFORE DAWN

WHEN US FIGHTER JETS

BOMBED GENERAL NORIEGA'S
MILITARY HEADQUARTERS.

Man: HE UTILIZED HIS POSITION

TO SELL THE COUNTRY OF PANAMA
TO THE TRAFFICKERS.

WHEN NORIEGA WENT DOWN

THROUGH THAT BANK
IN PANAMA, WE LOST

ABOUT $140 MILLION
BETWEEN MAX, MYSELF,

RAFA, OCHOAS, ESCOBAR,
EVERYBODY TOOK A BIG CHUNK.

THAT'S HOW COME
WE LOST SO MUCH.

'CAUSE I WAS IN JAIL
AT THE TIME

AND THERE WAS NO WAY
TO GET YOUR MONEY OUT.

AND THE GOVERNMENT SEIZED
ALL THE MONEY IN THAT BANK.

THEY TOOK ALL MONEY.

WE WENT TO
A MOVIE THEATER,

AND GOT IN LINE FOR ABOUT
TWO HOURS TO GO AND SEE

SCARFACE, THE FAMOUS
MOVIE SCARFACE,

MYSELF AND NINE OTHER GUYS,
ALL TEN KILLERS.

MOVIE STARTED, YOU KNOW,

AND ALL THESE ATTEMPTS ON HIM,

THEY CAME, THEY BROUGHT TWO
COLOMBIANS TO KILL HIM,

AND WE WERE JUST LAUGHING.

[LAUGHS]
WE WOULD HAVE HAD HIM.

IF IT WAS TAKING
PLACE IN REAL LIFE,

WE WOULD HAVE GOT HIM.

Reporter: ON FEBRUARY 3RD, 2006,

MIAMI ATTORNEY
SAMUEL I. BURSTYN

PLED GUILTY TO OBSTRUCTION
OF JUSTICE CHARGES

AFTER BEING
ARRESTED AT HIS

$4.8 MILLION HOME
ON SUNSET ISLAND.

PROSECUTORS SAY
HE ACTED AS HOUSE COUNSEL

FOR A CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION

THAT IMPORTED AND DISTRIBUTED

COCAINE AND MARIJUANA.

BURSTYN, WHO IS FACING
20 YEARS IN PRISON

IF CONVICTED OF ALL CHARGES,
WILL SERVE 42 MONTHS,

FORFEIT HIS LAW LICENSE
AND GIVE UP NEARLY

$400,000 IN CASH AND ASSETS.