Top 10 Most Notorious Drug Lords

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There is a lot of money in selling drugs. Only counting cocaine and opiates, they are a $153 billion business world wide. To give you a comparison, the illegal firearms trade is only $1 billion. Needless to say, many drug lords are willing to do whatever it takes to get some of that money ranging from extortion, bribery, and even killing. Many drug lords have risen to the top due to their brutal tactics. Check out below for a list of the top 10 most notorious drug lords.

#10: Pablo Escobar one of the most dangerous drug lords and founder of the Medillin Cartel

Pablo Escobar, the head of the Medellin cartel in Columbia, was one of most powerful, dangerous and rich drug lords in history. At its height in the 70s and 80s, the cartel provided 80% of the cocaine in the US. Due to this, he made so much money, that he ranked as one of the 10 richest people in the world with a net worth of around $30 billion. In fact, he had so much illegal money that he had to spend $2,500 a month just on rubber bands to store his money.^[1]Business Insider – Pablo Escobar and ‘El Chapo’ Guzman: How 2 of the world’s most powerful and dangerous drug lord compare

Additionally, Escobar had so much illegal money that he had to hide, that he had to take into account an approximate 10% loss just from the rodents eating his hidden money. Needless to say, Escobar got his great wealth, through extreme ruthlessness. In fact, he famously even waged a war against Columbia, the country. During his lifetime, Escobar was directly responsible for killing at least 4,000 people.

#9: Griselda Blanco the Black Widow and Godmother

Headquartered in Miami, Griselda Blanco was one of the most dangerous drug lords. In fact, she was Pablo Escobar’s mentor before later becoming enemies with him. In the 70s and 80s, Blaco was the ruler of the cocaine trade in Miami. However, she gained her reputation way before that. When she was only 11 years old, Blanco kidnapped a child from a wealth family for ransom money. However, when the family didn’t pay, Blanco killed the child. Furthermore, Blanco famously introduced the motor cycle drive by shooting assassination tactic. This tactic involves an assassin on a motorcycle driving by and killing not only the intended target but also everyone in the area.^[2]InSight Crime – The Rise and Fall of Colombia’s ‘Cocaine Queen’ During Blanco’s lifetime, she personally killed around 250 people.

#8: Joaquín Guzmán Loera, Head of the Sinaloa Cartel

Joaquín Guzmán Loera also known as El Chapo due to his height is the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico.^[3]Forbes – Does Mexican Drug Lord El Chapo Guzmán Have The $14 Billion The U.S. Wants From Him? The Sinaloa Cartel is one of the most powerful drug cartels in the world and El Chapo as its leader is one of the most dangerous and brutal drug lords. El Chapo is directly and indirectly responsible for innumerable deaths. His victims include everyone from family members of rival drug cartels to even the police. No one is safe against El Chapo.

The best way to show how dangerous El Chapo really is, is by describing how he kills his victims. For example, the Sinaloa Cartel has a habit of peeling people’s faces off. In fact, one time they took the peeled face of their victim and attached it to a soccer ball. They then placed the soccer ball on doorsteps of the City Hall in Ciudad Juarez as a warning message.

#7: Osiel Cárdenas Guillén “The Friend Killer” of the Gulf Cartel

Osiel Cárdenas Guillén, the “friend killer” due to him killing his friend in order to get control, is the leader of the Gulf Cartel.^[4]Business Insider – ‘I don’t give a damn who you are’: The roadside showdown that made a Mexican kingpin a marked man During his reign as one of the most power drug lords, his cartel even infiltrated the previously incorruptible Mexican special forces. As such, Guillén now had highly trained soldiers to fight for him. With this new firepower, Guillén quickly skyrocketed the Gulf Cartel to dominance in Mexico. Eventually, the mercenary fighters would split off and form Los Zetas.

#6: Omar Trevino-Morales founder of Los Zetas

Omar Trevion-Morales is the founder of Los Zetas.^[5]CBC – Zetas cartel leader Omar Trevino Morales captured in Mexico This cartel started as a group of Mexican army castoffs and former Mexican special forces members who had trained with US military special forces. Before becoming their own cartel, they worked as guns for hire for cartels around Mexico. They were able to use both advanced military technology and fighting techniques to effectively defeat their opponents.

Eventually, the military guys realized that they could make more money working for themselves. As a result, they formed Los Zetas. Under Omar Trevion-Morales leadership, they have become one of the most brutal and dangerous cartels in the world. Trevion-Morales uses several methods to instill feel in his enemies. For example, he often uses 55 gallon oil drums filled with oil to place his victims inside and light them on fire. He also uses the 55 gallon oil drums to boil people alive inside of them. Lastly, he is has several lions and tigers in his own private zoo, just for the purpose of feeding his rivals to them.

#5: Amado Carrillo Fuentes the “Lord of the Skies”

In 80s and 90s, Amado Carrillo Fuentes was one of the most powerful drug lords in Mexico. Fuentes’ nickname was the “Lord of the Skies” due to his private fleet of planes he used to fly his drugs from Mexico to the US. During his reign, Fuentes amassed a personal wealth of over $25 billion, making him one of the richest people in the world. However, in order to get this amount of money, Fuentes was very ruthless and brutal.

The best way to show how dangerous Fuentes really was is through his death. In 1997, Fuentes underwent plastic surgery. Fuentes did this in order to change his appearance so that he could go into hiding from government authorities in both Mexico and the United States. However, he died due to complications in the surgery. Even in death, you weren’t safe from Fuentes. In fact, authorities later found the doctor who performed dead and stuffed inside an oil drum.^[6]CNN – Tortured body of doctor found in oil drum

#4: Vicente Carrillo Fuentes “El Viceroy” Head of the Juarez Cartel

Vicente Carrillo Fuentes also known as “El Viceroy” is the head of the infamous Juarez Cartel. The Juarez Cartel is so powerful because it has control over one of the most important border crossing between Mexico and the US. Needless to say, Vincente Carrillo Fuentes and the Juarez Cartel is constantly fighting to keep control of the area. In fact, in his bid to secure his power, Fuentes turned Juarez into a war zone. He even hired outside gangs to fight for him. Between 2006 to 2010, the murder rate in Juarez went from 300 murders a year to over 3,000 murders a year.^[7]InSight Crime – Mexico’s Violent Juarez Cartel Capo, Almost a King, Now a Prisoner That is over 8 people killed per day. During this time, the city gained the reputation for being the most dangerous city in the world that was not an active war zone.

#3: Rafael Enrique Clavel

Sometimes the most dangerous drug lords aren’t always the boss such as in the case of Rafael Enrique Clavel. He famously seduced and ran away to Venezuela with the wife of Sinaloa cartel founder Jesus Hector Palma Salazar. He also stole $7 million. Clavel then killed the lady he had seduced and sent a box with her decapitated head back to her husband. In addition, he also killed her two young children, who were 4 and 5 years old, by throwing them off of a bridge.^[8]Mexico News Daily – Will ex-cartel boss return to life of crime?

#2: Héctor Luis Palma a founder of the Sinaloa Cartel

Hector Luis Palma’s wife was seduced and killed by Rafael Enrique Clavel. Being one of the founders of the Sinaloa Cartel is enough to put you at the top of any list of the most dangerous drug lords in history. However, Palma went above and beyond by enacting extremely brutal revenge on Clavel. In fact, Palma gruesomely killed Clavel’s three children and lawyer. However, that wasn’t enough for Palma. In fact, later when Clavel went to prison, Palma ordered his death by beheading.^[9]Borderland Beat – El Güero” Palma sent to Puente Grande Prison, Jalisco

#1: Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo – “El Padrino”

Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, El Padrino or the Godfather in Spanish, was one of the heads of the drug trade along the US and Mexican border. He was extremely dangerous because he didn’t respect both the Mexican authorities but also the American authorities. In fact, El Padrino even kidnapped and tortured undercover DEA agent, Enrique Camarena. Investigators later found Camarena’s head punctured with screw driver and his body wrapped in shrink wrap on the side of the road. This incident led to huge tensions between the US government and Mexico.^[10]Business Insider – The ‘godfather’ of Mexico’s cartels has been sentenced for killing of a DEA agent US authorities demanded that the Mexican government do something immediately. In fact, the tension got high that the US Border Patrol was about to completely close the border between the two countries.