At the time, Lehder's 1988 trial was the biggest court case against a foreign drug smuggler in US history. What is more surprising is that Escobar didn't simply have him quietly knocked off - as he had so many others.įor most 'narcotraficantes' - or 'drug traffickers' - life generally holds one of two possible fates: death, like Escobar's at the hands of US and Colombian special agents during a raid in Medellin in 1993 or prison in the US, like Carlos Lehder. Still, Lehder's stock had fallen dramatically with his boss. Lehder was the right-hand man of Pablo Escobar (above)Įscobar penned an open letter vehemently denying any involvement in his business partner's arrest. The day after the party, Escobar sent Lehder to a secret hiding place, promising him he would be safe there - then he ratted him out to US authorities. In the end, there is nothing more dangerous than a crazy dealer whose escapades threaten to bring down the entire operation. But while Lehder, a Colombian-German national, thought the party would never end, drug lord Escobar had come to a different conclusion that night. Lehder apologized to Escobar, the body was disposed of and, of course, the party went on.

Gunshots, screams and a dead body in the middle of a fiesta with blaring salsa music the Netflix series Narcos is a harmless joke when compared to the reality in Colombia at the time. He shot the man, who also happened to be one of the woman's lovers.

Carlos Lehder Rivas was at a Medellin Cartel party, snorting cocaine and amusing himself in the company of a prostitute when one of Pablo Escobar's hitmen had the temerity to knock on the door. Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll: even 'Crazy Charlie's' last day of freedom was like a movie.

Pablo escobar the drug lord online