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129-505: Griselda Blanco Restrepo (February 15, 1943 – September 3, 2012) was a Colombian drug lord who was prominent in the cocaine -based drug trade and underworld of Miami , during the 1970s through the early 2000s, and who has also been claimed by some to have been part of the Medellín Cartel . She was shot dead in Medellín on September 3, 2012 at the age of 69. Griselda Blanco Restrepo

258-413: A corrupt police chief steals 100 assault rifles from an evidence room in his police station , after they were confiscated from an arms trafficker during a search and seizure; eventually, he sells all of them at once to a drug lord, for US$ 400,000 in total. If a drug lord has strong ties to a corrupt politician in office, such as a mayor, for example, he can ask the mayor to fire a police chief , who

387-449: A drug cartel . Since the 1970s, research on organized crime leadership (and, by extension, drug lords) has evolved. Where once studies emphasised the importance of the leader's human capital (e.g. individual traits), it has now developed to focus upon the leader's social capital (e.g. information and resource brokers, social status, access to information). Known as "El Padrino" (The Godfather) and "El Jefe de Jefes" (The boss of Bosses)

516-536: A phone sex scandal between Ayala and two female secretaries employed at the state attorney's office. In 1998, Blanco pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, to run concurrently. In 2004, in light of her frail health, she was granted compassionate release from prison in the United States and deported back to Colombia. Blanco had three husbands and four children. She met her first husband Carlos Trujillo when she

645-594: A 2018 episode of the Investigation Discovery documentary series Evil Lives Here to recount his lonely childhood. In 2019, he was featured on the VH1 docuseries Cartel Crew , which follows the descendants of drug lords. He also runs a clothing brand, Pure Blanco. According to Michael, his mother became a born-again Christian in her later years. On September 3, 2012, Blanco and her pregnant daughter-in-law went to

774-437: A 25-year prison term for a number of federal violations. Following his conviction, Rodriguez continued to operate his illicit business from behind bars, importing as much as 12,500 kilograms of cocaine into the U.S. each month and ordering numerous murders of informants, witnesses, in the U.S. and Colombia. He reigned and flourished while incarcerated until he was placed in court-ordered high-security isolation in 1994. According to

903-587: A Jamaican checkpoint on 22 June 2010. Demetrius Flenory is known as one of the co-founders of the Black Mafia Family , a Detroit -based drug-trafficking organization involving the large-scale distribution of cocaine throughout the U.S. from 1990 to 2005. There are currently plans to produce a film based upon his career. Jose Figueroa Agosto (born June 28, 1964), also known as "José David Figueroa Agosto", "Junior Capsula" and "the Don Pablo Escobar of

1032-458: A ballad extolling his life on the run. In July 2015, Guzman escaped a second time from a maximum-security prison through a hole in a shower floor that led to a mile-long tunnel, ending at a nearby house. A large-scale manhunt ensued. On 8 January 2016, Guzmán was captured by the Mexican Marines . Osiel Cárdenas Guillén (born 18 May 1967) is a former Mexican drug lord who was the leader of

1161-442: A bed, flowers, and paintings. For some crime lords, a short jail or prison sentence, serves as a way to avoid further persecution. In Mexico, after the arrest of Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo , there was a rise in the rate of violence. Félix was particularly known for his use of non-violence to keep his business running smooth and had bribed many political authorities for protecting himself and his business. He divided his territory and

1290-575: A blind eye towards the criminal activities of the drug lords and leak confidential information to them about police operations in exchange for bribes. It is crucial for drug lords to gain access to confidential information about police operations, so they are able to: know when and where the police carry out patrols; identify witnesses , informants , and undercover police ; detect the presence of wiretaps , bugs , and other forms of police surveillance; receive advance notice of criminal investigations , police raids , sting operations , and manhunts ; know

1419-428: A child from an upscale neighborhood near her home. Blanco had become a pickpocket before she was a teenager. To escape the sexual abuse of her mother's boyfriend, she ran away from home at the age of 19, resorting to theft for survival in the city center until the age of 20. It is speculated that she may have engaged in prostitution to better support herself financially during this time, although she denied this. Blanco

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1548-518: A corrupt NYPD captain on Sollozzo's payroll, breaks Michael's jaw before more Corleone button men arrive. As Vito Corleone recuperates, Sollozzo requests that Michael broker a truce, but acting boss Sonny, suspecting a trap, refuses and demands the other Mafia families hand over Sollozzo to the Corleone family or else face war. Michael volunteers to meet Sollozzo in a public place and kill him and McCluskey. Hagen warns that killing McCluskey would violate

1677-509: A decade, Panamanian Manuel Noriega was a highly paid CIA asset and collaborator, despite knowledge by U.S. drug authorities as early as 1971 that the general was heavily involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. Noriega facilitated "guns-for-drugs" flights for the Nicaraguan Contras , whom the U.S. were heavily supporting: providing protection and pilots, safe havens for drug cartel officials, and discreet banking facilities. He

1806-465: A foundation named after his father. A decade earlier, he had given custody of his two children to Kay, who has since remarried. He sells his gambling interests to other Mafia families and reorganizes his vast legitimate business holdings as the "Corleone Group". The Holy See has named him a Commander of the Order of Saint Sebastian for his charitable works and large donations to Catholic institutions. At

1935-464: A handgun that Corleone caporegime Peter Clemenza ( Richard Castellano ) had planted beforehand in the bathroom and kills Sollozzo and McCluskey by shooting them at point-blank range. This ignites the New York underworld's first Mafia war in a decade. Michael escapes to Sicily and spends two years under Corleone ally Don Tommasino's ( Corrado Gaipa ) protection. Michael falls in love with and marries

2064-558: A long-standing Mafia rule not to kill police officers, and says it would incite deadly backlash from rival Mafia families and law enforcement. Michael argues they can publicly expose McCluskey as a corrupt cop involved in the drug trade and serving as Sollozzo's bodyguard, contending that McCluskey has crossed into their world and is fair game. Sonny agrees and approves the hit. After careful preparation, Michael meets with Sollozzo and McCluskey at an Italian restaurant in The Bronx . He retrieves

2193-502: A medium-security prison in Guadalajara (State of Jalisco), due to his declining health. He still strongly denies any involvement in the murder of Enrique Camarena. He was particularly known for using less violence and many even attribute the current bloodshed due to the turf war between rival cartels to the fall of Félix Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria (December 1, 1949 – December 2, 1993) was a Colombian drug overlord. Often referred to as

2322-504: A partnership with Fulgencio Batista allowing them to operate casinos in Cuba without interference in exchange for generous payments to the Cuban government. Michael sends his bodyguard to eliminate Roth on New Year's Eve , but Cuban soldiers kill the bodyguard during the attempt. That same night, Fredo unintentionally reveals that he was the mole within the family; Michael confronts Fredo and gives him

2451-526: A result of the efforts of his attorneys, Manuel J. Retureta and A. Eduardo Balarezo. Michael Christopher Coke (born 13 March 1969), a.k.a. Dudus, is a Jamaican drug lord and the leader of the Shower Posse gang . He is the youngest son of drug lord Lester Lloyd Coke whose extradition had also, prior to his 1992 death in a Jamaican prison cell, been requested by the U.S. Until the younger Coke's handover to U.S. forces on 24 June 2010, "Dudus" served as

2580-766: A series of articles by journalist Gary Webb in the San Jose Mercury News revealed a connection between Ross's main cocaine source, Danilo Blandon , and the CIA as part of the Iran–Contra affair . Ross's case went before the federal court of appeals and his sentence was reduced to 20 years. He was later moved to a halfway house in March 2009 and released from custody on September 29, 2009. In June 2014, Ross released his book, Freeway Rick Ross: The Untold Autobiography , co-written by crime-writer Cathy Scott . For more than

2709-500: A world of crime and violence. Michael asks her to reconsider, but Kay reveals she aborted their unborn son because she refused to bring another of his children into the world. Enraged, Michael hits Kay in the face and severs ties with her, taking custody of Anthony and Mary. Following their mother's death, and at Connie's behest, Michael seemingly forgives Fredo, but it is actually a ploy to draw him in closer in order to have him killed. Soon after, Neri murders Fredo on Michael's orders. At

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2838-592: A young local woman named Apollonia Vitelli ( Simonetta Stefanelli ). Back in the United States, Sonny is murdered. After Michael is notified of Sonny's murder, he and Apollonia prepare to move to Siracusa , but she is killed by a car bomb meant for Michael, proving the other Mafia families know where he is hiding. Michael returns to the United States in 1950 and assumes Sonny's role as Vito's heir apparent. After Vito's suspicions are confirmed that Don Emilio Barzini ( Richard Conte ), his main rival in New York City ,

2967-400: Is a fictional character and the protagonist of Mario Puzo 's 1969 novel The Godfather . In the three Godfather films , directed by Francis Ford Coppola , Michael was portrayed by Al Pacino , for which he was twice-nominated for Academy Awards . Michael is the youngest son of Vito Corleone , a Sicilian immigrant who builds a Mafia empire. Upon his father's death, Michael succeeds him as

3096-763: Is also common for drug lords to intimidate, threaten, blackmail, or assassinate political candidates, who reject their political donations and/or bribes. Drug lords also take advantage of police corruption , judicial corruption , prosecutorial corruption , and military corruption , through bribery, especially if the drug lords already possess a certain level of impunity, granted by corrupt politicians. They can influence legal proceedings, obstruct investigations, and avoid facing charges or indictments for their crimes, through bribing prosecutors . Drug lords can bribe judges and jurors, to influence court decisions, secure favorable rulings, and avoid conviction or receive lenient sentences for their offenses. Corrupt police officers can turn

3225-814: Is also common for drug lords to use violence or intimidation, as an additional tool for controlling or influencing members of law-enforcement agencies . For example, Pablo Escobar was known for using a carrot-and-stick approach, by offering "lead or silver" to Colombian police officers, judges, prosecutors, and military personnel. A drug lord with strong ties to corrupt politicians in office, is also more likely to be able to get away with committing such acts of violence. In some cases, corrupt politicians in office, may collude with drug lords to commit acts of violence or intimidation against members of law-enforcement agencies, who investigate or prosecute political corruption, to prevent said politicians in office from being charged, prosecuted, arrested, and/or convicted for corruption. One of

3354-624: Is critically wounded in an assassination attempt by drug kingpin Virgil Sollozzo ( Al Lettieri ), pushing a reluctant Michael into the Mafia world he has avoided for so long. Arriving at the hospital, he finds his bedridden father unprotected from potential attack. While awaiting Corleone reinforcements, Michael prevents a second assassination attempt on Vito by Sollozzo, then affirms his loyalty to his father. Captain Mark McCluskey ( Sterling Hayden ),

3483-450: Is denied by his South Asian associate, Leslie "Ike" Atkinson . His career was dramatized in the 2007 feature film American Gangster starring Denzel Washington . Leroy Antonio "Nicky" Barnes (born October 15, 1933) was a former drug lord and crime boss of the notorious African-American crime organization known as The Council , which controlled the heroin trade in Harlem, New York during

3612-455: Is difficult for drug lords to operate in developed countries, such as the United States or Canada, in modern times. However, it is still relatively common for drug lords and drug cartels to operate with certain levels of impunity in developing countries, especially Latin American countries, such as Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, and Mexico, in modern times. Another trend that has been emerging in

3741-453: Is frequently seen drinking water in the first two films—subtle hints that he is a diabetic. ) With Michael still bedridden, Connie gives Vincent consent to assassinate Zasa. Disguised as an NYPD mounted officer, Vincent kills Zasa in the middle of an Italian street festival. Michael is infuriated upon learning of the hit, and demands that no similar orders be issued while he is alive. Michael returns to Sicily for Anthony's operatic debut at

3870-481: Is not allied with the drug lord, and to appoint a new one, who is allied. This simple appointment facilitates the drug lord's ability, to bribe and influence the ranks of a police force, from top to bottom. A drug lord who has enough influence over a corrupt police force, can utilize the police to target his rivals in the drug trade. This practice is common in Mexico, where drug cartels de facto control different regions of

3999-939: Is not as common as it was in the past. For example, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada held de facto control over the Mexican state of Durango , by contributing donations to political campaigns during gubernatorial elections, along with assassinating political candidates who rejected his donations, and through bribing and intimidating the Durango State Police . As of early 2023, he had never been arrested or incarcerated. He was, however, arrested in 2024. In developed countries , drug lords seldom control local and regional governments; they also have less influence over their surroundings, and their ability to continue to run their businesses, upon being arrested and incarcerated. Unlike developing countries, developed countries have stronger rule of law and do not suffer from nearly as much corruption. Hence, it

Griselda Blanco - Misplaced Pages Continue

4128-479: Is notorious for its use of violence, for its numerous confrontations with police officers and because of their violent conflicts over territory control and the control of drug trafficking against another powerful Brazilian criminal organization, the Comando Vermelho (or CV), a powerful crime syndicate based in the city of Rio de Janeiro . Griselda Blanco (1943–2012), known as the "Godmother of Cocaine",

4257-497: Is present or rife, and rule of law is missing or lacking. In narco-states , corrupt politicians and drug lords have symbiotic relationships. Drug lords can benefit from political corruption and patronage , by contributing donations to political candidates, and/or by colluding with political candidates to rig elections in their favor, through vote buying and/or voter intimidation, in exchange for political favors. After such candidates are elected, they use their power to reward

4386-423: Is the mastermind of his shooting and Sonny's murder, he and Michael begin a secret, complex plot to wipe out the other New York Dons. They deliberately allow their rivals to whittle away at Corleone interests to lull them into inaction. Meanwhile, Michael convinces his father that it is time to remove the family from crime. More than a year following his return, Michael reunites with Kay and they marry. He promises her

4515-420: Is their informal adopted brother. In his novel The Godfather , Mario Puzo introduces Michael with the following physical description: “He did not have the heavy, Cupid -shaped face of [his siblings], and his jet black hair was straight rather than curly. His skin was a clear olive-brown that would have been called beautiful in a girl. He was handsome in a delicate way.” Later in the novel, Puzo writes, “Michael

4644-423: The de facto leader of Tivoli Gardens in the city of Kingston ; prior to his 2010 capture Jamaican police were unable to enter this neighborhood without community consent. The son of a prominent drug lord, Coke grew up wealthy, going to school with children of the country's political elite. Ruling the gang where his father left off, he became a leader in the community of Tivoli Gardens, distributing money to

4773-701: The Gulf Cartel and Los Zetas . Originally a mechanic in Matamoros, Tamaulipas , Guillén eventually became involved in the illegal drug trade the Gulf Cartel before becoming its leader in 1997 by assassinating drug lord Salvador Gómez Herrera . Guillén recruited over 30 deserters from the Mexican Army 's special forces unit, the Cuerpo de Fuerzas Especiales , to form the cartel's armed wing; this group would go on to be among

4902-615: The Juarez Cartel . In the months before his death, the DEA described Carrillo as the most-powerful drug trafficker of his era, and many analysts claimed profits neared $ 25 billion. Guzman is the most notorious drug lord of all time, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). In the 1980s, he was a member of the Guadalajara Cartel and used to work for Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo . After Félix's arrest in 1989, Guzmán formed

5031-624: The Sinaloa Cartel along with Ismael Zambada García and Héctor Luis Palma Salazar . He is well known for his use of sophisticated tunnels—similar to the one located in Douglas, Arizona —to smuggle cocaine from Mexico into the United States in the early 1990s. In 1993, a 7.3-ton shipment of his cocaine , concealed in cans of chili peppers and destined for the United States, was seized in Tecate , Baja California . That same year he barely escaped an ambush by

5160-514: The Teatro Massimo . Suspecting that Altobello may make another attempt on his life, he has Vincent infiltrate Altobello's regime under the pretense of defecting. Michael and Kay tour Sicily together, during which Michael asks for Kay's forgiveness. Kay admits she will always love him, and they begin to rekindle their relationship. Meanwhile, the Immobiliare deal has stalled, supposedly because

5289-638: The Tijuana Cartel led by Ramon Arellano Felix and his gunmen. After being captured in Guatemala, he was jailed in 1993 and in 1995 he was moved to the maximum-security prison called Puente Grande, but paid his way out of prison and hid in a laundry van as it drove through the gates. On 22 February 2014, Guzmán was arrested again. He is considered a folk hero in the narcotics world, celebrated by musicians who write and perform narcocorridos (drug ballads) extolling his exploits. For example, Los Traviezos recorded

Griselda Blanco - Misplaced Pages Continue

5418-711: The United States Marine Corps the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor . During World War II , he fights in the Pacific War , and is wounded in battle. For his bravery, he received a battlefield commission to the rank of Lieutenant , and was awarded the Silver Star and the Navy Cross . He was discharged as a Captain after V-J Day in the fall of 1945. His heroics during the war were featured in Life magazine. During

5547-521: The don of the Corleone crime family . In June 2003, Michael Corleone was recognized as the 11th most iconic villain in film history by the American Film Institute , although some critics consider him to be a tragic hero . The British film magazine Empire selected Michael Corleone as the 11th greatest movie character, with Pacino's performance as Michael Corleone widely regarded as one of

5676-525: The drive-by motorcycle shooting execution method. It was estimated that she was responsible for the homicides of 200 people in Colombia, Florida, New York, and California. Arrested in 1985 for drug-trafficking charges, she was subsequently convicted and spent almost 20 years in a U.S. prison. She was killed by motorcycle hitmen in Colombia on 3 September 2012 as she was coming out of a butcher's shop. Pablo Escobar started to buy cocaine from Roberto Suárez in

5805-425: The radio frequencies used by police radios ; etc. For example, a corrupt police commander helps a drug lord evade capture, by alerting him to an upcoming police raid in his mansion 1 hour in advance. Hence, the police fail to find the drug lord in his mansion during the raid, because he dodged them. A drug lord can cover up his criminal activities and obstruct criminal investigations, by: destroying or concealing

5934-478: The remaining members of his organization formed other cartels . He kept in contact with the drug lords and remained as one of Mexico's major traffickers until he was transferred to Altiplano maximum security prison. Eventually, the cartels fought each other for territory and lead to brutal Drug Wars which caused thousands of deaths. In developing countries , it is still common for drug lords to control local and regional governments, although this phenomenon

6063-488: The "World's Greatest Outlaw", Escobar was perhaps the most elusive cocaine trafficker to have ever existed. He is considered the 'King of Cocaine' and is known as the lord of all drug lords. In 1989, Forbes magazine declared Escobar as the seventh-richest man in the world, with an estimated personal fortune of US$ 30 billion. In 1986, he attempted to enter Colombian politics. It is said that Pablo Escobar once burnt two million dollars in cash to keep his daughter warm while on

6192-624: The 1970s when he had just created the Medellín cartel . Suárez started building cocaine laboratories in the middle of the Bolivian Amazon jungle and in the zone of "Los Yungas" in the end of the 1960s and created the first cocaine cartel in Bolivia called "La Corporación". At first, the Medellin cartel bought cocaine at $ 8,000 per kilogram ($ 3,600/lb). La Corporación then sold cocaine-based paste to Colombian cartels, and they finished and distributed it in

6321-438: The 1970s. In 2007 he released a book, Mr Untouchable , written with Tom Folsom, and a documentary DVD of the same name, about his life. In the 2007 film American Gangster , Barnes is portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr. Zhenli Ye Gon (traditional Chinese: 葉真理; born January 31, 1963, Shanghai, People's Republic of China) is a Mexican businessman of Chinese origin accused of trafficking pseudoephedrine into Mexico from Asia . At

6450-541: The Bureau of Prisons, Rodriguez was released in 2012. Born on April 13, 1968, in Osasco (a city located in the state of São Paulo , Brazil ), Marcos Willians Herbas Camacho, known as " Marcola " is one of the founders and the current leader of Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), the largest and the most powerful Brazilian criminal organization . A Brazilian with Bolivian origins , Marcola (whose criminal career began when he

6579-541: The Cali Cartel. Within six years he had amassed a fortune exceeding over US$ 300 million by shipping drugs from Colombia to nearly every state in the U.S. He was one of the most ruthless international drug lords unknown to law enforcement or governments. During that time, the murder rate and cocaine-related hospital emergencies in the United States doubled. He was arrested on July 6, 1990, in Tallahassee, Florida and sentenced to

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6708-672: The Cardiso butcher shop on the corner of 29th Street in Medellín. As she exited, an assassin on a motorcycle shot her twice in the head, killing her. The act mimicked the assassination style that Blanco practiced during the Miami drug war. Blanco has been featured in multiple documentaries, series, films, and songs, including several upcoming projects. Drug lord Such lords are often difficult to bring to justice, as they are normally not directly in possession of something illegal but are insulated from

6837-630: The Caribbean", is a Puerto Rican drug trafficker. As the head of a major drug trafficking organization that made 90% of cocaine in Puerto Rico, Figueroa Agosto is considered to be one of the most dangerous drug lords of Puerto Rico. He was the most wanted fugitive in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic . Jari Seppo Aarnio (born 5 September 1957) is the former chief investigator and head of Helsinki 's anti-drugs police , who spent 30 years in

6966-688: The Church provides an opportunity to take over the large property company, Immobiliare . He is already its largest shareholder, and offers to buy the Vatican's 25 percent share, which will give him controlling interest . He also takes in Sonny's illegitimate son Vincent Mancini ( Andy Garcia ), a soldier in Zasa's crew, as his protégé. Nevertheless, Michael is distressed by Vincent's fiery temper, and disapproves of his romance with Michael's daughter, Mary ( Sofia Coppola ). On

7095-437: The Corleone family as the nation's most powerful crime family and establishes a reputation as being even more cunning and ruthless than his father. A few days later, Connie furiously accuses Michael of murdering Carlo. When challenged by Kay, Michael denies having ordered Carlo's murder. Kay, initially believing Michael, later observes him receiving his capos . Clemenza addresses Michael as "Don Corleone" and kisses his hand in

7224-516: The Corleone family will be completely legitimate in five years. Within three years, they have two children, Anthony and Mary . Vito semi-retires in 1954, and Michael becomes operating head of the family. He offers to buy out casino owner Moe Greene 's ( Alex Rocco ) stake in the Las Vegas casino that the Corleones bankrolled, intending to move the family to Nevada as part of his effort to legitimize

7353-501: The Corleone house, nearly killing Michael and Kay. Michael suspects Roth ordered the hit, and believes a mole within the Corleone family aided him. To uncover Roth's involvement, Michael maintains their business relationship, and orders Pentangeli to settle a dispute with Roth's business partners, the Rosato Brothers. When Pentangeli meets with them, they try to kill him, but he survives. Michael, Roth, and Fredo travel to Cuba to forge

7482-461: The Corleone interests; Greene refuses to sell. Corleone family caporegimes Salvatore Tessio ( Abe Vigoda ) and Clemenza request permission to begin operating their own families in Corleone territory. Michael, with Vito's support, advises them to be patient and wait until the move to Las Vegas is completed. Tessio and Clemenza agree, but are clearly dissatisfied. In 1955, Vito warns Michael that Barzini will likely attempt to assassinate Michael under

7611-797: The Marines. Only Fredo supports Michael's decision. When Vito arrives off-screen, everyone goes to greet him except Michael, who sits alone. The film closes with Michael sitting alone in the Corleones' Lake Tahoe compound. The Godfather Part III is set in 1979 and 1980. Michael has moved back to New York, abandoned the Nevada estate, and taken great strides to remove the family from crime. He turns over his New York criminal interests to longtime enforcer Joey Zasa ( Joe Mantegna ). Ridden with guilt over his ruthless rise to power, particularly his order to kill Fredo, Michael uses his great wealth to rehabilitate his reputation through numerous acts of charity, administered by

7740-632: The Pacific coast operations, with Ismael Zambada García joining them soon after and thus becoming the Sinaloa Cartel , who was not yet a party to the 1989 pact. Félix Gallardo still planned to oversee national operations and remained one of Mexico's major traffickers, maintaining his organization via mobile phone until he was transferred in the 1990s to the Altiplano maximum security prison and lost all remaining contacts with other drug lords. On 18 December 2014, federal authorities approved his request to transfer to

7869-643: The Sicilian " kiss of death ". During the New Year's Eve festivities, victorious rebel forces enter Havana , forcing Batista into exile and ruining Michael's plans. Fredo, afraid of his brother, runs off, while Roth escapes to Miami . Meanwhile, Pentangeli, believing Michael had ordered a hit on him, prepares to testify against him in the Senate's investigation of organized crime . However, Michael has Pentangeli's brother Vincenzo ( Salvatore Po ) brought from Sicily. Just prior to

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7998-863: The U.S. in 2006. However, extradition may be prohibited if the person faces either the death penalty or a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Nevertheless, such efforts have failed to curb the rise of new drug lords because of widespread corruption in foreign countries, especially Latin American countries. Today, there are also many drug lords in Latin America, who have never been extradited, and continue to operate with impunity. Michael Corleone Awards: [REDACTED] Navy Cross [REDACTED] Silver Star (Later upgraded to Navy Cross) [REDACTED] Navy and Marine Corps Medal [REDACTED] Purple Heart [REDACTED] Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal [REDACTED] European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Michael Corleone

8127-473: The U.S. than any other trafficker, building a fortune of over $ 25 billion. He was called El Señor de Los Cielos ("The Lord of the Skies") for his use of over 22 private 727 jet airliners to transport Colombian cocaine to municipal airports and dirt airstrips around Mexico, including Juárez. He was a member of the Guadalajara Cartel and worked for Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo . After Félix was arrested, Amado formed

8256-519: The US from South America . He was also allegedly the leader of the infamous "Phantom Squad," a death squad that was active in Guyana between 2002 and 2006. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Following the death of Pablo Escobar in 1993, significant changes occurred in the structure of the drug trade, departing from massive cartels such as Juan David Ochoa 's Medellín cartel . Drug lords have begun breaking

8385-483: The US. According to the Miami New Times , "Michael's father and older siblings were all killed before he reached adulthood. His mother was in prison for most of his childhood and teenage years, and he was raised by his paternal grandmother and legal guardians." In 2012, Michael was put under house arrest after a sentencing on two felony counts of cocaine trafficking and conspiracy to traffic in cocaine. He appeared on

8514-533: The United States in the latter half of the 1970s to start a new drug operation in Miami . Her return coincided with the beginning of numerous violent public conflicts—notably, hundreds of homicides per year—that plagued the Metro Miami area during the 1980s, a time known as the Miami drug war . This was a period when cocaine was extremely lucrative, and trafficked more than cannabis . The struggle by law enforcement to end

8643-660: The United States with fake documentation, under an assumed name; she would end up settling in Queens , New York , with her three children and second husband, Alberto Bravo, a cocaine smuggler for the Medellín Cartel . They set up a thriving drug operation in New York City. However, nine years later in April 1975, Blanco was identified by authorities and indicted on federal drug conspiracy charges, along with thirty of her subordinates. The family fled to Colombia to avoid conviction. She returned to

8772-402: The actual trade in drugs by several layers of staff. The prosecution of drug lords is therefore usually the result of carefully planned infiltration into their networks, often using informants from within the organizations. When a group of independent drug lords collude with each other, in order to improve their profits and dominate the illegal drug trade , they form an organization called

8901-508: The anti-drugs force in Finland . He has been sentenced to jail for drug crimes and other offences. Known as "The Dapper Don" , Christy Kinahan (born 1958) is a notorious Irish drug lord from Dublin, Ireland and the head of Kinahan Cartel , a powerful Irish crime syndicate with territories in several countries around the world, such as Spain ( Costa del Sol ), United Arab Emirates ( Dubai ), The Netherlands , among others. Under

9030-452: The area's poor, creating employment, and setting up community centers. In 2009, the U.S. began requesting his extradition , and in May 2010, a recalcitrant Government of Jamaica issued a warrant. That same month the government took steps to capture Coke. In a run-up to Coke's arrest, more than 70 people–all but one of them civilians–died in a 24 May 2010 raid of Tivoli Gardens. He was arrested at

9159-510: The border into the United States. He is known as the first and currently the only drug lord to be executed by the United States federal government under the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988 . He was executed for three murders he committed in Texas, but was also found to be responsible for five other murders, four of which were committed in Mexico. Liu Zhaohua (March 5, 1965 – September 15, 2009)

9288-443: The ceremony, Michael and Kay have an uneasy reunion after nine years. Kay supports their son Anthony's (Franc D'Ambrosio) ambition to reject the "family business" and become an opera singer, and tells Michael that both she and Anthony know the truth about Fredo's death. Michael had previously wanted Anthony to either finish law school or join the family business, but now consents to Anthony going his own way. Michael's new connection to

9417-489: The command of Christy Kinahan, the Kinahan Cartel became responsible for a large part of drug smuggling (such as heroin , ecstasy and methamphetamine ) and arms smuggling to many places in the world. According to Gardai (the national police of Ireland ), Kinahan has connections with other powerful Irish mobsters like George Mitchell (Known as "The Penguin" ) (a notorious gangster from Ballyfermot and cousin of

9546-567: The conspirators) has hired an assassin named Mosca ( Mario Donatone ) to kill him. Mosca murders Tommasino, and Michael vows before his old friend's casket to sin no more. Vincent reports that Lucchesi, working with Altobello, is behind the assassination attempts on Michael. Weary of the bloody, lonely life of a Don, Michael retires, making Vincent his successor, but not before giving him permission to retaliate. In return, Vincent agrees to end his relationship with Mary. That night, Michael, reconciled with Kay and Anthony, watches his son's performance in

9675-580: The country, including the municipal and state police forces of said regions, and often use them as weapons for targeting rival drug cartels. Some drug lords and drug cartels have so much influence over certain police forces, that they are able to gain access to police badges, uniforms, equipment, and vehicles, so they can impersonate police officers . In some cases, drug lords also hire corrupt police officers as bodyguards , hitmen , or kidnappers . Corrupt politicians in office, can also appoint corruptible judges , prosecutors , and military officers , whom

9804-419: The course of his rise, prosecutors estimate that Ross transported several tons of cocaine to New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, and made more than $ 600 million in the process." In 1998, Ross was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of purchasing more than 100 kilograms of cocaine from a federal agent during a sting operation. Ross became the subject of controversy later that year when

9933-489: The critically ill Pope Paul VI must personally approve it. Michael learns that the Immobiliare deal is an elaborate swindle concocted by Immobiliare chairman Licio Lucchesi ( Enzo Robutti ), who schemed with Vatican Bank head Archbishop Gilday ( Donal Donnelly ) and accountant Frederick Keinszig ( Helmut Berger ) to embezzle a fortune from the Vatican Bank, using Michael's "investment" to cover their tracks. Hoping to salvage

10062-509: The deal, Michael seeks Don Tommasino's assistance. He directs Michael to Cardinal Lamberto ( Raf Vallone ), the future Pope John Paul I . With Lamberto's prodding, Michael makes his first confession in 30 years, tearfully breaking down as he admits to ordering Fredo's murder. Lamberto tells Michael he deserves to suffer for his terrible sins, but that there is hope for his redemption. John Paul I dies soon after being elected pope, poisoned by Gilday. Michael learns that Altobello (in league with

10191-438: The drug lords can also bribe and influence. A drug lord who has enough influence over a corrupt judiciary or a corrupt military unit , can also utilize them as weapons for targeting rivals in the drug trade. For example, some corrupt prosecutors and judges collude with a drug lord, by filing criminal charges and issuing arrest warrants on his rivals in the drug trade, while said drug lord operates with total impunity. It

10320-400: The drug lords, who supported them. The rewards might include: impunity , import/export licenses, and/or favorable decisions, such as banning extradition , softening laws against drug-trafficking, etc. For example, Juan Orlando Hernández protected drug cartels, who contributed donations to his presidential campaign, from criminal investigations, prosecutions, arrests, and convictions, after he

10449-418: The east of the United States. The finished cocaine was sold directly to Mexican cartels for distribution in the west of the United States. Suárez received untold amounts of money, but as detectives and journalists discovered the corruption between Bolivia and the U.S., the empire Suárez built began to fall. Suárez was arrested by the DEA in 1988, and Escobar took over of the production and distribution of 80% of

10578-535: The enterprise, and Bravo accused Blanco of letting her "Godmother" nickname go to her head. Blanco murdered Bravo by shooting him in the head. Blanco had her youngest son, Michael Corleone Blanco (named after the character Michael Corleone from the film The Godfather ) with her third husband, Darío Sepúlveda. Sepúlveda left her in 1983, returned to Colombia, and kidnapped Michael when he and Blanco disagreed over who would have custody. Blanco paid to have Sepúlveda assassinated in Colombia, and her son returned to her in

10707-509: The evidence of said activities; intimidating witnesses , to prevent them from testifying against them; and murdering informants, who provide information to the police about his criminal activities. Although, drug lords do not need to bribe every police officer in a police force, they must be able to bribe some high-ranking and mid-ranking cops, in addition to some low-rankings ones, in order to achieve long-term impunity, because high-ranking and mid-ranking cops oversee police operations and have

10836-537: The family in favor of Michael, and that he withheld key information about the Senate investigation. Michael disowns Fredo and tells his personal assassin Al Neri ( Richard Bright ) that nothing is to happen to his brother while their mother is alive — the implication being that Neri is to kill Fredo after she dies. Meanwhile, Kay decides to leave Michael and take their children with her, believing Michael will always live in

10965-489: The family's operations in New York, Clemenza having died a few years before. While Michael's many enemies and growing obsession with revenge keep him tethered to the criminal underworld, he still plans to finally legitimize the family by negotiating with Hyman Roth ( Lee Strasberg ), his father's former business partner, over controlling casino operations in Cuba . Hours after Anthony's First Communion party, assassins open fire on

11094-401: The founding members of Los Zetas, another Mexican drug cartel. In 1999, Guillén and a group of Gulf Cartel gunmen threatened two U.S. federal agents at gunpoint , which triggered a massive combined effort from American and Mexican law enforcement agencies to crack down on the leadership structure of the Gulf Cartel and led to Guillén becoming one of the most wanted criminals in the world. Guillén

11223-543: The fugitive has become more powerful as his fellow kingpins have fallen, including one who was allegedly killed on Zambada's orders. Klaas Bruinsma (1953–1991) was a major Dutch drug lord, shot to death by mafia member and former police officer Martin Hoogland. Bruinsma was known as "De Lange" ("the tall one") and as "De Dominee" ("the preacher") because of his black clothing and his habit of lecturing others. Marcos Arturo Beltrán Leyva (September 27, 1961 – December 16, 2009)

11352-556: The governments of the locations they operate in, through bribery , corruption , obstruction of justice , intimidation , contract killings , and narco-terrorism . They may also control or influence civilian populations through violence, and/or by winning hearts and minds . Drug lords like Pablo Escobar and El Chapo, are both known for controlling or influencing the civilian populations of their territories through using both methods. This phenomenon takes place in developing countries with weak and/or corrupt governments, where impunity

11481-419: The greatest performances in cinematic history. Born on March 23, 1920, to Mafia don Vito Corleone ( Marlon Brando ) and his wife Carmela ( Morgana King ), Michael has two older brothers, Santino "Sonny" Corleone ( James Caan ) and Frederico "Fredo" Corleone ( John Cazale ), and a younger sister, Constanzia "Connie" Corleone ( Talia Shire ). The family consigliere , Tom Hagen ( Robert Duvall ),

11610-433: The hearing, Vincenzo and Frank exchange glances. Understanding the threat, Pentangeli recants his earlier sworn statements, throwing the hearings into chaos and effectively destroying the government's case against Michael. Fredo confesses to Michael that Roth's right-hand man, Johnny Ola ( Dominic Chianese ), had promised to reward him for information about Michael. Fredo also says that he resents being "passed over" to head

11739-589: The influx of cocaine into Miami led to the creation of CENTAC 26 (Central Tactical Unit), a joint operation between the Miami-Dade Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) antidrug operation. On February 17, 1985, Blanco was arrested in her home by DEA agents and subsequently charged with conspiring to manufacture, import, and distribute cocaine. The case went to trial in federal court in New York City, where she

11868-585: The large cartels into much smaller organizations. In so doing, they decreased the number of people involved and shrank their role as targets—most likely in an attempt to avoid the fate of their predecessors. With newer technology, drug lords are able to manage their operations more effectively from behind the scenes, keeping themselves out of the spotlight and off the FBI and DEA wanted lists. These smaller cartels are slowly proving to be safer and more profitable for those involved. Drug lords often have de facto control over

11997-443: The last decade is a willingness of local authorities to cooperate with foreign nations, most notably the U.S., in an effort to apprehend and incarcerate drug lords. Recently, especially in the last five years, countries have been more willing to extradite their drug lords to face charges in other countries, an act that not only benefits them directly but also gives them favor with foreign governments. Mexico extradited 63 drug dealers to

12126-486: The legendary exploits of the novel's main character, Salvatore Guiliano (In the novel, the spelling of Salvatore Giuliano 's name was intentionally changed by Puzo to "Guiliano".), and is eager to meet him, but Giuliano is murdered before the meeting can take place. Michael appears in Mark Winegardner 's sequel novels The Godfather Returns and The Godfather's Revenge . In Godfather Returns , set roughly during

12255-461: The most access to confidential information. Hence, drug lords, who only bribe low-ranking cops, can achieve short-term impunity, but not long-term impunity. In some cases, drug lords also have to bribe corrupt police officers, to retrieve drugs or weapons, that were confiscated from them during searches and seizures . In other cases, corrupt police officers might sell weapons or drugs to drug lords, that were confiscated from other criminals. For example,

12384-498: The most-notorious examples of the treatment given to drug lords is the incarceration of Escobar. Although Escobar was, after turning himself in, jailed for his participation in drug trafficking in Colombia, the "jail" in which he was captive, was a million-dollar palace built with his own funds and guarded by his own private army . Another famous crime lord who enjoyed lightened jail life was Al Capone , who continued to run his business from his jail cell, which contained tables, chairs,

12513-585: The nation's top drug narcos in 1989 at a house in the resort of Acapulco where he designated the plazas (turfs) or territories. The Tijuana route would go to his nephews, the Arellano Felix brothers . The Ciudad Juárez route would go to the Carrillo Fuentes family and to Rafael Aguilar Guajardo. Miguel Caro Quintero would run the Sonora corridor . Joaquín Guzmán Loera and Héctor Luis Palma Salazar were left

12642-528: The night Michael announces he is dissolving his gambling empire, Zasa wipes out most of The Commission in a helicopter attack in Atlantic City . Michael escapes with help from Vincent and Neri. Michael realizes that his old friend Don Altobello ( Eli Wallach ) is the brains behind the attempt on his life. Traumatized by the attack, Michael suffers a diabetic stroke , briefly incapacitating him. (Francis Ford Coppola reveals in his audio commentary that Michael

12771-497: The ones who rejected his bribes, came to be known as "silver or lead" or "money or bullets". When the Colombian government launched a manhunt for Escobar, it needed assistance from the DEA , the CIA , the Cali Cartel, and Los Pepes . On December 2, Search Bloc killed Escobar on a rooftop. As a top drug lord in Mexico, Amado Carrillo (1956–1997) was transporting four times more cocaine to

12900-406: The opera Cavalleria Rusticana . Meanwhile, Vincent has Lucchesi, Gilday, and Keinszig murdered, while Connie murders Altobello with a poisoned cannoli . After the performance, Mosca shoots Michael, wounding him, and a second bullet hits Mary, killing her. Mary's death breaks Michael's spirit, and he screams in agony over her body. In an epilogue scene set in 1997, an elderly Michael dies alone in

13029-445: The other New York Mafia heads: Barzini, Philip Tattaglia ( Victor Rendina ), Carmine Cuneo ( Rudy Bond ), and Victor Stracci (Don Costello), as well as Greene. The plot unfolds on the same day Michael stands as godfather to Connie's newborn son, Michael Francis Rizzi. Later the same day, he has Tessio and Carlo Rizzi ( Gianni Russo ), Connie's abusive husband who conspired in Sonny's murder, executed. In one stroke, Michael re-establishes

13158-685: The politicians Gay Mitchell and Jim Mitchell ). The Kinahan Cartel is notorious for its bloody feud against another powerful Irish crime syndicate, the Hutch gang (led by Gerry Hutch ), in a gang war that became known as the Hutch–Kinahan feud (whose conflict started after the murder of Gary Hutch, Gerry Hutch's nephew and the Shooting of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in Whitehall, Dublin whose main target

13287-473: The pretense of negotiating peace between the families, using a disloyal contact within the Corleone regime. Whoever approaches Michael about the meeting, Vito explains, will be the traitor within the family. Shortly thereafter, Vito dies of a heart attack while playing with his grandson Anthony in his tomato garden. At Vito's funeral, Tessio tells Michael that Barzini wants to arrange a meeting, confirming Vito's prediction. Michael sets his plan in motion to murder

13416-553: The run. Escobar was the boss of the famous Medellín Cartel , the most powerful drug empire to exist and is said to have had over twice the power and money of their rivals , the Cali Cartel . Pablo was known as Paisa Robin Hood , for his contributions to the poor, but was also known for murdering anyone who got in his way. His carrot-and-stick strategy of bribing public officials in the Colombian government, and sending hitmen to murder

13545-556: The same courtyard where he married Apollonia. In the December 2020 release of The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone , a recut of the third film, the final scene is re-edited to portray Michael sitting alone in the courtyard without him dying. Michael is a secondary character in Puzo's novel The Sicilian , which takes place during his first exile in Sicily. He learns from Clemenza about

13674-409: The same manner that he did with Michael's father. Kay realizes Connie's accusations were true, and that Michael has become a powerful Don becoming his father's successor in every way. In the novel, Kay leaves Michael, but Hagen persuades her to return. The Godfather Part II is set in 1958 and 1959. The Corleone family has relocated to Nevada, while capo Frank Pentangeli ( Michael V. Gazzo ) runs

13803-419: The same time, Michael sends Hagen to persuade Pentangeli to commit suicide to spare his family, and has caporegime Rocco Lampone ( Tom Rosqui ) kill a heavily guarded Roth at Idlewild Airport upon his return to the US. The film ends as Michael recalls a surprise birthday party for his father on December 7, 1941. In a flashback scene, Michael informs the family that he has dropped out of college to enlist in

13932-422: The time of Godfather Part II , Michael battles with a new rival, disgruntled Corleone capo Nick Geraci, while attempting to legitimize the family. In The Godfather's Revenge , set a few years after the second film, he moves to protect his criminal empire against Geraci and the machinations of a powerful political dynasty, while dealing with the collapse of his marriage and his guilt over having Fredo murdered. In

14061-550: The time of his arrest, he had $ 207 million in cash and 18 million Mexican pesos in his house. He claimed that he was forced by Javier Lozano Alarcón , putatively identified as the Secretary of Labor, to keep it at his home and that this money would be used during Felipe Calderón 's presidential campaign in 2006. He is the legal representative of Unimed Pharm Chem México. The charges against him were dismissed with prejudice in August 2009 as

14190-629: The undisputed leaders of the Tijuana Cartel and developed an intense rivalry with Joaquin Guzman Loera 's Sinaloa Cartel . The war between both organizations lasted more than 10 years until Ramón was killed in Mazatlán on February 10, 2002, by policemen allegedly on the payroll of the rival , Sinaloa Cártel. Ismael Zambada García is a drug smuggler in Mexico and co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel . Mexico's top anti-drug prosecutor, José Santiago Vasconcelos , called Zambada "drug dealer No. 1" and said

14319-432: The waning weeks of Summer 1945, Michael is discharged from the Marines, unaware that Vito secretly arranged for his discharge, using his political influence. Michael returns home to attend his sister Connie's wedding ant the end of August accompanied by Kay Adams ( Diane Keaton ), his college sweetheart. Michael stays for a few weeks, intending to re-enter college without telling his family. Just before Christmas 1945, Vito

14448-535: The world's cocaine. Rick Ross (born January 28, 1960), a.k.a. "Freeway" Ricky Ross, is a convicted drug-trafficker best known for the drug empire he presided over in Los Angeles in the early 1980s. The nickname "Freeway" came from Ross growing up next to the 110 Harbor Freeway . During the height of his drug dealing, Ross was said to have made "$ 2 million in one day." According to the Oakland Tribune , "In

14577-498: Was 13 years old. She and Trujillo had three sons together in Medellín: Dixon, Uber, and Osvaldo. All three were born before Blanco was 21. Blanco and Trujillo divorced but remained business partners. After an argument over a business deal that went awry, Blanco had Trujillo executed. Following her marriage to Trujillo, Blanco married Alberto Bravo. After returning to Colombia, Blanco accused Bravo of stealing millions of dollars from

14706-706: Was Daniel Kinahan, Christy's oldest son and also a head in the Kinahan Cartel, but ended up taking the life of another important member of the cartel, David Byrne (the son of James Byrne , the brother of Liam Byrne (a notorious lieutenant for Christy Kinahan), the cousin of Freddie Thompson and brother-in-law of Thomas Kavanagh (known as "bomber" ), a senior member in the Kinahan Cartel). Juan Raul Garza (November 18, 1956 – June 19, 2001) ran his own marijuana trafficking ring in Texas , Louisiana , Michigan , and Mexico , exporting thousands of kilograms of marijuana across

14835-470: Was a Chinese Drug Lord known for producing and trafficking over 18 tonnes of Methamphetamine. The amount Liu made was worth more than US$ 5 billion. He was arrested on March 5, 2005, sentenced to death on June 26, 2006, and executed on September 15, 2009. Shaheed " Roger " Khan (born 13 January 1972) is a Guyanese drug lord who is known for his money-laundering activities as well as his distribution and importation of substantial amounts of cocaine into

14964-651: Was a child, at the age of nine and currently serving a sentence of 234 years in prison for murder, drug trafficking and other crimes) is the current leader of PCC and commands this powerful crime syndicate from inside the Taubaté Prison , one of the most infamous prisons in Brazil. Under the command of Marcola, the PCC expanded its influence outside Brazil, to having a presence in Bolivia , Ecuador , Venezuela , Paraguay and Peru . The PCC

15093-468: Was a drug lady who operated between Miami and Colombia during the 1970s and 1980s. During the height of her operation, she smuggled nearly 1,600 kilograms (3,500 lb) of cocaine into the U.S. every month through a network in south Florida. She was noted for her ruthlessness and use of extreme violence, employing tactics such as publicly assassinating people in broad daylight, bayoneting a rival trafficker inside Miami International Airport , and inventing

15222-507: Was a key figure in the establishment of the cocaine trade between Colombia and large North American cities like Miami and New York, as well as to dealers in California. Her distribution network, which spanned across the United States and Colombia, earned $ 80   million per month. Blanco and her first husband, Carlos Trujillo, first started a marijuana -dealing enterprise in Colombia. In 1964, after divorcing Trujillo, Blanco illegally entered

15351-569: Was arrested in 1990. Ramón Arellano Félix was a Mexican drug lord who was a founding member of the Tijuana drug cartel (a.k.a. the Arellano-Félix Organization) alongside his brothers. Arellano Félix was allegedly one of the most ruthless enforcers in the organization and was a suspect in various murders. He had been linked by Mexican police to the 1997 massacre of twelve members of a family outside of Ensenada, Baja California . The family

15480-477: Was arrested in Mexico in 2003 and deported to the U.S. in 2007, where he remains incarcerated to this day. Jorge Alberto Rodriguez, also known as Don Cholito, is a notorious Argentine-born, Puerto Rican and Colombian mixed drug lord from New York, who headed the 400 criminal organization, a dismantled secret cell of the Cali Cartel . Pulled into the drug trade at age 12, he left home at age 14 to begin working for his Father, Gilberto Rodríguez Orejuela , who headed

15609-498: Was born in Cartagena, Colombia , on the country's north coast. She and her mother, Ana Restrepo, moved south to Medellín when she was three years old; this exposed her to a criminal lifestyle at an impressionable age, as Medellín was enduring years of its own socioeconomic, social and political troubles. Blanco's former lover, Charles Cosby, recounted that, at the age of 11, she allegedly kidnapped, attempted to ransom, and ultimately shot

15738-560: Was born in 1946, and is the founder and former leader of the Guadalajara Cartel , the first Mexican Cartel ever established. He had strong ties with the Cali Cartel and Escobar's Medellin Cartel as he distributed drugs for them. He controlled almost all of the drug trafficking in Mexico and the corridors along the Mexico–United States border in 1970s and the 80s. Until the end of the 1980s, Guadalajara Cartel headed by Félix Gallardo

15867-560: Was connected with the assassinations of numerous Mexican law-enforcement officials. Frank Lucas was a former heroin dealer and organized crime boss who operated in Harlem , New York during the late 1960s and early 1970s. He was known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in the Golden Triangle . Lucas boasted that he smuggled heroin using the coffins of dead American servicemen, but this claim

15996-512: Was elected as the President of Honduras . While in office, the aforementioned politicians, may make corrupt appointments as quid pro quos. For example, a corrupt governor appoints a new police chief in a state police force , whom a drug lord can bribe, as a quid pro quo for helping him win a gubernatorial election. In some cases, corrupt politicians in office, who lack any previous ties to the drug lords, may also solicit or accept bribes from them. It

16125-402: Was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison. While serving her sentence, she was charged with three additional counts of first-degree murder by the state of Florida. The prosecution made a deal with one of Blanco's most trusted hitmen, Jorge Ayala , who agreed to testify that Blanco had ordered him to carry out the killings; however, the case collapsed due to technicalities relating to

16254-423: Was not tall or heavily built but his presence seemed to radiate danger.” Unlike his two older brothers, Michael wants nothing to do with the Corleone "family business", wanting instead to lead a more Americanized life . Vito does not want Michael to join the Corleone criminal empire either, hoping that his favorite son would go into politics. Michael was enrolled at Dartmouth College , but dropped out to enlist in

16383-522: Was one of the most powerful cartels in the world. He had a huge political involvement and bribed political authorities to protect himself and his business. After his capture in 1989 for the alleged murder of DEA agent Enrique Camarena , Félix and allegedly the Mexican Government decided to divide up the trade he controlled as it would be more efficient and less likely to be brought down by law enforcement. Félix Gallardo instructed his lawyer to convene

16512-699: Was related to a drug dealer that had an unpaid debt to the Arellano Félix Cartel. On September 18, 1997, Arellano Félix was placed on the FBI's ten most-wanted list . In a sealed indictment in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California , he was charged with conspiracy to import cocaine and marijuana. . Ramon and his brothers, primarily Benjamin Arellano Felix were

16641-769: Was the leader of the Mexican drug-trafficking organization known as the Beltrán-Leyva Cartel , which is headed by the Beltrán Leyva brothers: Marcos Arturo, Carlos , Alfredo and Héctor . The cartel was engaged in cocaine, marijuana , heroin , and methamphetamine production, transportation, and wholesaling. It controlled numerous drug-trafficking corridors into the United States. and was also responsible for human smuggling , money laundering , extortion , kidnapping , murder , contract killing , torture , gun-running , and other acts of violence in Mexico. The organization

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