[Latin guitar theme music plays]
[Steve] By the time I left Miami,
Americans were doing a couple hundred tons of cocaine every year.
To satisfy American noses, the narcos ramped up their operations.
[Intercom dings]
- Here, honey. - Ah, thank you.
- Hey, is that The Bahamas? - Hm?
[Steve] Oh... yeah.
That's beautiful.
[Steve] They were flying so many planes,
they needed a refueling stop between Colombia and Miami.
80 Carlos lehder bought an island in The Bahamas
as a transshipment point for the drugs and money.
Turns out... It was a damn good place to party.
- [Cheering] - [Chatter in Spanish]
It was modern day sodom and gomorrah, with the three things Carlos liked most:
- Sex, drugs, and Nazi sympathizers. - Whoo-hoo-hoo!
[Speaking Spanish] Let's get down!
[All cheering]
[Steve] The problem was no longer demand... it was supply.
We should be over the Amazon by now.
[Steve] From 10,000 feet, Colombia was a paradise of untouched rainforest.
But things were different on the ground.
Pablo and his partners built super/abs the size of small cities.
From leaf to paste to powder, they produced 10, 000 kilos a week.
At 50 grand a kilo, that's five billion dollars a year.
These guys weren't fuckin' around.
Pablo's cousin Gustavo flew chemists in from Germany to quuefy the cocaine.
They added it to liquor, to coffee, and just to be funny...
They put it back in Coca-Cola.
D patro'n?
Looks good?
[Steve] Cocaine was no longer hidden alongside products.
[Speaks Spanish] This is going to sell better than the original.
It was the product.
[Gacha speaking Spanish] It's time to take Pablo's money.
[Steve] The narcos even had their own drug-sniffing dogs.
Gacha bet Pablo that not even a German scientist could fool his dog.
- [Pablo giggles] - [Gacha speaks Spanish] Search.
- What's happening? Look at that. - [Dog whines]
Your prize dog didn't even stop.
There's no coke in that boat.
Come here.
It's blended right into the fiberglass hull.
Give me the money... the cash!
Looks like you got taken with this dog, brother.
[Gacha chuckles dryly]
- Hold this a moment. - — oh, marquessa, my dear...
It's ok, it's ok.
[Dog whimpers, silence]
- Are you fucking crazy? - What?
It's my dog.
[Gustavo] What happened?
[Gacha] You want to know what happened? Go look.
Pablo?
- Pablo, we have a motherfucking problem. - — bastard murderer.
- He killed the dog. - I don't give a shit.
If we don't resolve this problem, we're all dead. Come on.
- Come on, man. - — son of a bitch.
[Counting machines whirring]
[Pablo] Let's see...
- This is the problem? - [Phone ringing nearby]
People are watching us, Pablo.
They're asking themselves how two small businessmen
- suddenly came up with so much cash. - Gustavo, brother...
Just launder the money.
Make it look legitimate... That's all.
Isn't that what al Capone did?
- Al Capone? - Al Capone.
You're a dumb-ass, Pablo.
- Al Capone is a terrible example. - Why?
Because al Capone never had this much cash.
This is too much to launder.
Well, then...
Let's buy a bigger washing machine.
[Steve] And that's what they tried first.
On paper, Pablo had the most profitable taxi company ever.
He only had three cars,
but he was pulling in more than five million dollars a week.
And gacha had the most successful emerald mine of all time.
He would inject bad stones with oil to make them shiny,
then have his friends in Miami buy the emeralds with drug money
and give them as gifts to hookers in town.
Everybody was happy.
But no matter what they did, they couldn't hide all that money.
It just kept coming in.
[Speaking Spanish] You're spending too much cash, Pablo.
You have picassos, dalis, farms,
houses, apartments, boats, planes, cars...
I told you we have to fly low.
If you keep spending like that, you're going to end up in Forbes magazine.
And if that happens, the government is going to have our asses.
[Pablo] Enough, Gustavo, enough.
What do you want me to say?
Bury it.
- How's that? — Bury the cash.
And cut the bullshit.
Go on, pussy.
- [Steve] And that's what they did. - [Men chattering in Spanish]
They buried it in fields...
They hid it in caletas, hiding places in walls and ceilings.
They even stuck a million dollars in Pablo's mother's couch.
Hey, mom.
- I'm praying, Pablo. - [Softly] Just for a second.
[Pablo sighs]
It isn't very comfortable, pablito.
I'll buy you another sofa later.
Wouldn't it be better if you put all this money in a bank, son?
All bankers are bandits.
Really, honey?
[Laughing]
[Steve] Pablo called this accountant "blackbeard,"
not because he looked like a pirate,
but because his job was to map out where the treasure was hidden.
But not even the pirate did the trick.
The problem was Colombia itself.
It was too small a country for a fortune that big.
It was inevitable... someone, somewhere would try to snatch the narcos' treasure.
[Speaking Spanish] Forbes magazine says...
That the narcos have more money
than the richest capitalist pig in this country.
- Let me see? - [Men murmuring]
If we kidnap someone in their family, what are they going to do?
- Call the police? - [Laughter]
[Woman] Commander.
It says here that gacha, "the Mexican," is the ninth richest man in the world.
I say we kidnap his son.
- [Low murmurs] - — he's a psycho maniac, comrade.
Plus, he's bought off half the military.
Well, the ochoa brothers are number 14 on the list.
Their sister marta goes to the university.
How about her?
[Low murmurs]
I like that more. The ochoas are soft.
Wait a second.
What about Pablo Escobar?
[Steve] I know what you're thinking.
No one's crazy enough to kidnap drug dealers, right?
But if you're thinking that, it's because you're not familiar with m-19.
- [Latin rock music plays] - M-19 was a communist guerrilla group
made up of college students and intellectuals
who read too much Karl Marx for their own good.
Their leader was Ivan "the terrible" torres...
A history professor who knew nothing about guerilla warfare,
but understood the power of symbols.
He broke into the quinta de bolivar museum
with his buddy Alejandro and Alejandro's girlfriend, Elisa,
and stole a national treasure... The sword of Simon bolivar,
the mythic general who led Colombia to independence from the Spanish empire.
[Laughing]
These jokers even left a note:
"Bolivar, your sword returns to the battlefield."
[Moaning]
It was a stroke of genius... A marketing stunt way ahead of its time.
And it made them famous overnight.
And I guess it went to their heads.
[Speaks Spanish] What about Pablo Escobar? He's the richest of them all.
Escobar gives money to the poor.
You're right. Escobar is a man of the people.
He's all right with me.
Ok, then.
- Let's do the ochoas. - [Group chatters in agreement]
[Chattering in Spanish]
[Tires screech]
[Screaming]
[Shouting in Spanish]
- [Shouts] - [Tires squealing]
[Steve] March 13th, 1981, the day they kidnapped marta ochoa,
was also the day the lion completed 100 trips to Miami.
[Chatter in Spanish]
- Hola. - [Sighs]
[Speaks Spanish] Good afternoon.
- Mr. and Mrs. Murphy. - [Steve] Si.
[Speaking English] Does the cat have any papers?
- Si. - Please.
Thank you.
[Sighs]
Excuse me a second, please.
[Dialing phone]
[Man sighs]
[Speaking Spanish] Sir, this couple has no sanitary b-47 form
and no i-435 identifying papers, either.
[Softly] Well, I guess he's talking about puff.
[Man continues in Spanish] Yes, sir. They brought an American cat with them.
Sure, but without the i-435, I can't officially state that it is indeed a cat.
I also can't guarantee that it's American.
Sir, I'm not trying to make your life more difficult.
Ok, sir.
[Speaking English] My boss is not having a good day.
I think his wife left him. [Soft chuckle]
Yeah, well, he's a little bit cranky, so... how important is this cat to you?
Excuse me?
Come with me, please.
So... wait here, please.
And my boss will ask you for this paper later.
How long is it gonna be?
I don't know.
- [Chanting] Pablo! Pablo! - [Band plays up—tempo music]
[Steve] While I was trying to get into Bogota',
Pablo was trying to get into politics.
When he said he was going to be president of Colombia, he meant it.
- [Speaking Spanish] Hello, Pablo. - Hello, Valeria.
- This is my wife, tata. - Hello.
Don't worry. Everything will be perfect.
[Pablo] I'm just not used to these type of things.
Just be yourself.
Ma'am, it would be best if you weren't here.
Look, tata, there are a lot of people here.
It might not be good for the baby.
Go to the house.
[Sighs]
[Groans, chuckles dryly]
Where is this guy? We've been waiting for hours now.
Maybe he's at "terapia de pareja."
What's that?
Couples counseling.
Right.
What're you doing?
Oh, I'm practicing my Spanish.
[Valeria] Welcome to nuevos tiempos.
I'm Valeria velez and I'm here with the man known as "the Robin hood of the poor"
for his generosity with the poor of medellin.
[Steve] Yeah, you heard that right.
She just compared Pablo Escobar to fucking Robin hood.
- [Crowd clamoring] - And in a way, she was right.
When you've run out of ways to hide your money,
that's when you give it to the poor.
But I don't want to get ahead of myself.
[In Spanish] Tell us about your program, "medellin without slums," Mr. Escobar.
I was born in rionegro, not too far from here.
And I asked myself how a government that exists for the people
can be so out of touch with what they need.
Hospitals, social and athletic programs,
plus the construction of 400 houses in this community.
I hear you told your mother that one day you would be president of Colombia.
Do you have any political aspirations, Mr. Escobar?
None at all. My business takes up most of my time.
I will tell you one thing, Valeria.
For decades, our country has been led by Lopez and other families that are wealthy
who made their fortune off exploiting the poor.
They don't know what common people dream of, but I do...
- Connie, you know who that is? - — [Pablo continues indistinctly]
Bet he could get our cat into the country.
I can't believe it.
They don't even know he's a fucking drug dealer.
- [Pablo] Thank you very much. - [Crowd chanting] Pablo! Pablo! Pablo!
[Steve] At the time, Pablo was just a blip on my radar.
I didn't know I was about to be a blip on his.
[Steve] Well, we've been waiting for hours. Thanks for coming out.
Uh, my wife's a little exhausted, so here is the cat's vaccination...
Your passport.
I'm sorry?
Your passport, please.
- [Steve sighs] - Gracias.
[Machine whirring]
What do you do at the United States embassy, Mr. Murphy?
I am in, uh, janitorial services.
Janitorial services.
Another one.
Your embassy must be very clean.
Oh, yeah. You bet your ass it is.
Your cat's cleared.
Enjoy Colombia.
[Steve] And just like that, the narcos had me on file the very first day.
[Fax machine beeps]
[Latin music plays on radio]
[Steve] As for Valeria velez,
the journalist who first interviewed Pablo... watch out.
She was as dangerous as m-19.
[Grunting]
[Moaning]
[Speaking Spanish] Does your wife do it standing up?
- Aah! [Gasps] - [Both panting]
Don't ever disrespect tata.
- Do you hear me? - [Moans]
I'm sorry, Pablo... I'm sorry.
Forgive me.
It won't happen again.
I promise.
How can I apologize? Huh?
Want to put it in my ass? Hm?
[Steve] You gotta give it to her.
- She saw Pablo coming a mile away. - [Gasps]
And she got herself in just the right place to take full advantage of him.
Not unlike my partner Javier pena,
who figured the best way to get inside narco information
was to hang out with the same women they did.
- [Grunting] - [Moans]
[Both panting]
[Speaking Spanish] We get better every time we practice.
You're amazing, Javier.
Don't go overboard.
It's the truth.
What can you offer me to drink?
Whiskey or tap water.
What you're missing in this apartment is a woman.
It's fine the way it is.
Well, I wasn't offering.
Here.
If you were a client, you would have paid me already.
- And you wouldn't know my real name. - — don't take it the wrong way.
It's cash from uncle Sam for the information you never gave me.
Take it.
And my visa?
Give me something I can use and we'll talk about it.
What are you doing this weekend?
- I'm going to medellin. - Work or play?
I have to take care of my child.
I can pay, too.
Those guys are richer than uncle Sam, Javi.
Come here.
- What? - Give me a kiss.
Give me a kiss.
I guess I'll have to find another girl.
Good luck with that. We're all going to medellin.
Some of us are even going by plane.
Helena?
Helena.
Whose party is it?
[Panting]
- [Gunfire in distance] - [Connie] Oh, god! What was that?
[Steve] That was like a .38.
- About four blocks away. - Oh... [laughs]
- [Automatic gunfire outside] - [Connie gasps]
[Car alarm wailing]
- Welcome to Bogota'. - [Connie panting]
- Should we do it under the bed? - [Laughs]
[Speaking Spanish] Just one thing... Who told you about this?
Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
[Man 1 in Spanish] Pablo says they're not going to pay a dime for marta ochoa.
Gustavo, too.
- [Man 2] And Jorge? - [Man 1] No. Jorge doesn't agree.
- [Man 2] Then what? - [Man 1] They're all going to a meeting.
At las margaritas.
- [Man 2] Everyone? - [Man 1] Yeah, they'll all be there.
[Recording stops]
[Steve] First day at the American embassy.
- I met my partner... - Javier?
Who introduced me to the DEA.
[Javier] Murphy, this is Weaver and wisnicki.
These guys are r.I.P. "Retired in place."
- Eat me, pena. - Paid vacation's over, fellas.
Murphy and I are going to medellin.
We'll telex the t-3 reports. They go straight to Washington.
We are going to medellin?
- [Steve] Then the mil group. - Jarheads... this is Murphy.
Murphy, this is mil group.
They advise Colombian military on communist threats in the countryside.
Hey, those are classified.
- Now they're declassified. - That's the ambassador's call.
No problem.
[Steve] And the last stop... The ambassador's office.
Why do you need this intel?
There's an unusual number of prostitutes headed to medellin this weekend.
Every high-end girl in Bogota'.
First class airfare, five-star hotels.
The narcos are having a meeting and then a party.
What does the m-19 have to do with this?
Somebody kidnapped marta ochoa. Intel suggests it was m—19.
I need access to the m-19 files to confirm.
If I find out one single dollar of American taxpayer money
went to any of those hookers, it'll be your ass.
Ok, thank you. One last thing, ambassador.
Yes, agent pena?
I'm filing a visa request for my informant. I need your signature.
You're bothering me.
She sure likes you.
Is your informant really a prostitute?
Everybody works for somebody.
[Steve] The very next day, I was flying with pena to medellin,
Pablo's home turf.
First stop: Carlos holguin school, colonel carri/io's base of operations.
- [Speaking Spanish] Good day, major. - Good day.
Your intel was good. The traquetos are gathering at las margaritas.
[Speaking English] I want you to meet our new DEA, Steve Murphy.
[Speaking Spanish] Fresh meat.
[Steve] Then we went straight to a fancy hotel where the narcos were about to meet.
The pictures I took that day helped to ID guys for months to come.
- There was Carlos lehder... - [Camera shutter clicks]
- [Shutter clicks] - The ochoa brothers...
Fernando galeano, "the wolfman
Is that gacha?
I've never seen him with other traffickers.
[Steve] And last but not least... Gustavo and Pablo.
Get pictures of that fucker.
[Indistinct chatter in Spanish]
[Steve] They were all under one roof and pena got us there to document it all.
[Shutter clicks]
What we didn't know was that we were witnessing the formation
of the famed medellin cartel.
Pablo took advantage of the kidnapping of marta ochoa
to bring all the narcos together for the very first time.
And then he proclaimed himself their leader.
[Speaking Spanish] What I propose at this moment, gentlemen,
is that we form an organization.
Pool our resources to train soldiers, trade knowledge and buy information.
And so the message is clear, we're going to name our group
"death to kidnappers."
[Appreciative murmurs]
What I propose:
I will manage all operational aspects.
All you need to do is cover my expenses.
What you gentlemen will receive in return: Two things.
One... I promise to end the kidnapping.
Two... and at this moment, the most important...
I promise to return marta ochoa to her family.
- [Overlapping murmurs] - [Man] Salud.
[All] Death to kidnappers!
[Up-tempo music playing]
[Steve] We knew the meeting was over when the hookers came to play.
Pefia had finally gotten one of his informants
right into the heart of the action.
[Man speaking Spanish] Come in! Enjoy! Ooh!
Don't forget la quica! Take care of him, too.
Sit down, my love.
- How are you? — good. And you?
I like your hat.
It looks good on you.
- Do you think so? - Yes, it looks good.
Let's see.
- Very cute. - [Indistinct chatter]
[Speaking English] She should be here by now.
You think she slipped?
Nah, she's no dummy.
Maybe she's getting pretty for you.
[Gacha grunting]
Aah... [groans]
[Steve] Helena wanted a us visa so bad,
she was willing to do anything to help our cause.
And that was a problem.
- [Speaking Spanish] You're tired. - Hm?
Let me relax you a bit.
So what happened at that meeting that made you so tired?
What did you hear?
Nothing. Just making conversation.
[Carrillo speaking English] They're telling me the girl left a long time ago.
- She's already dead. - — no, they wouldn't kill her at the hotel.
Then they killed her somewhere else.
She knew the risks.
If we're going back, we go back now.
[Speaking Spanish] I want you to find the girl.
I can pick up a sicario. You ok with that?
- I'm going with you. - — what about fresh meat?
[In English] Gonna stick around here and see if she shows up, ok?
- Yeah, and where are you going? - We're gonna go look for her.
[Speaking Spanish] That's it, guys.
- [Men chattering in Spanish, laughing] - — [breath trembling]
- Guys. - Hey, what happened?
That little girl doesn't move. Like a dead cow.
What, did you kill her?
[Overlapping chatter in Spanish]
[Man] It's my turn now.
[Gasps]
- [Speaking Spanish] Where's the girl? - [Panting]
- Where's the girl, asshole? - [Whispers] I don't know.
[Panting] I don't know.
[Carrillo] Choke him.
[Grunting]
- [Men speaking Spanish, laughing] - [Door opens, closes]
- [Overlapping chatter] - Enough with the party.
[All groaning]
I gotta rough this girl up.
Gacha wants to know if she knows something.
Gacha's paranoid.
Wait a second... I don't like them bruised.
Let me have a little more fun, then I'll let her go.
- It's all right, boys. - [Men chuckling, chattering]
This one's for all of you!
- [Man] Slap her around! - — [breath trembling]
[Indistinct radio chatter]
- [Low conversations in Spanish] - — [bell tolling]
Any news on the radio?
- [Speaking Spanish] Should I tell him? - No. Remember what carrillo said.
Sorry, I don't speak English.
[Steve scoffs]
[Sighs]
- [Speaking Spanish] How far is it? - [Man] Come on, you piece of shit.
[Grunts]
[Men chattering in Spanish]
[Soft grunt]
[Cocks pistol]
[Chatter, laughter continues]
- [Gunshots] - [Overlapping shouts]
[Soft whimper]
Helena?
[Speaking Spanish] I'm going to get you out of here, ok? I promise.
[Whimpering sobs]
All right. She's coming out.
[Speaking Spanish] Copy, major.
Let's go, boys.
[In English] Hey, gringo. Carrillo is calling. Come on.
- No habla inglés, huh? - [Engine starts]
Ivamos!
Where the fuck's pena? Gdonde esta pena?
[Speaking Spanish] Over there.
[Low chatter in Spanish]
- [Speaking English] How is she? - — sedated.
- Is she gonna be ok? - Physically, yeah.
Mentally, I haven't got a fucking clue.
- You left me behind on purpose. - Look, man...
If we're gonna be partners, I don't get left behind.
I didn't come all the way down here, pena, to sit on the fucking sidelines.
Whatever's going on here... I'm in all the way.
Is that understood?
Understood.
I hope you know what that means.
[Steve] Pablo's message to the kidnappers was simple.
He was going to kill them, one by one, until he got marta ochoa back.
Ivan "the terrible" thought he could hide in the jungle and wait it out.
Sooner or later, he figured the narcos would cave in.
Big mistake.
M-19 didn't stand a chance.
[Speaking Spanish] "Deliver marta ochoa safe and sound... or your family is next."
Signed, "death to kidnappers."
[Retches]
[Tires screech]
[Marta whimpering] Please! Please, let me go.
- [Man] Hurry up! - Please, don't!
[Steve] Needless to say, marta ochoa was released unharmed.
And the killing didn't stop.
Pablo had tasted blood, and he liked it.
[Speaking Spanish] Tell him to get a little closer.
A little closer. A little closer!
You know what, boss? Go a little higher.
A little bit higher and a little bit closer
so you can see the tree!
Now a little bit higher so you can see the little tree!
That's it. Perfect.
Death to kidnappers
a little more.
That's it! There you go.
[Camera shutter clicks]
- [Man 1] Much better. - [Man 2] Yes, boss.
[Baby crying nearby]
Didn't I tell you not to let anyone into the park?
- I'll take care of it. - Are you crazy or what?
Stupid asshole.
It's a woman with a baby.
Take a picture so we can send it to the newspapers.
Do it.
Good day, ma'am.
- Good day. - I'm sorry, but the park is closed today.
What do you mean the park is closed?
May I escort you out?
Why is it closed? I come by here every day.
It's because there is a foul odor and I don't want the child to get sick.
I thought I smelled something.
- Right? - Yes.
Oh, look, what a beautiful little baby.
Right, just like his dad. Thank you very much.
- You must be proud. - — yes, of course.
My wife and I are having a baby very soon.
Oh, very good. Congratulations!
I don't know if it's a boy or a girl, but as long as it's healthy.
Yes, of course. The most important thing is health.
[Steve] Sending the photos of the hanging m-19 to the newspapers
gave Pablo an image of invincibility.
If he could do this to the feared communists,
he could do it to anyone.
Ivan "the terrible" was quick to realize...
There was only one thing he could do.
[Man speaking Spanish] Hey, Don Pablo.
What do you want us to do with this guy?
Should I kill him or what?
From what I can see, you're not going to stop.
Here I am, so you can finish what you started...
But with the sword of bolivar.
It's a very beautiful gift. Thank you very much.
Stand up.
I guarantee no harm will come to you or your family.
From now on, we are going to work together.
Go in peace, brother.
Is that what I think it is?
You've gotta be kidding.
I want you to run my day-to-day operations.
And you'll do what?
Liberate Colombia.
Welcome to the medellin cartel.
[Steve] The narcos had their army, but me and pena had ours, too.
Many Colombians like major horacio carrillo
were so invested in the future of their country
that they were ready to do whatever it took to fix it.
This was a war that would shake an entire country to its foundations.
And in the carnage... Mine would be shaken as well.
Even my wife, Connie, wanted to help.
She got a job as a nurse in a local comuna.
- She wanted to make a difference. - [Indistinct chatter]
I guess she forgot we were in Colombia.
Look, our escolta will drive me there and back every day.
- Yeah. - He'll wait outside all day.
You know the last time you were in church is when we got married.
Well, I'm letting the lord back into my life.
Hey, stop right here.
[Children laughing]
Praise god.
[Connie] Perdon.
I want that escolta watching every inch of you at that comuna now.
Hey, did we leave the door open?
[Voice trembles] Oh, my god, Steve!
- Get back. - [Cocks pistol]
You stay right there and don't move.
[Latin rock music plays]