The War on Drugs: A Smuggler’s Inside Story

Gary Jenkins, a retired Kansas City Police Intelligence Unit detective, hosts Carlos Perez, a former drug smuggler, on Gangland Wire. The episode opens with a discussion on the recent arrest and death of El Mencho, head of the Jalisco cartel, prompting a comparison between Reagan's war on drugs and current tactics. Perez describes the historical context of drug trafficking, noting that during Reagan's era, the Bahamas played a key role due to laws restricting U.S. agencies and corruption involving the prime minister. He contrasts this with modern surveillance like AWACS and increased Coast Guard presence. Perez shares his personal entry into smuggling, starting as a low-level worker hauling marijuana in the Everglades before moving to Miami. He recounts how he and a Bahamian partner made money by salvaging drugs dumped by other smugglers, calling them 'square groupers,' and eventually bought a plane to become pilots. The conversation covers Perez's transition to a legitimate life as a horse breeder in Florida, where he interacted with figures like Sam Walton's daughter. He details his arrest by multiple agencies, a polygraph test, and a humorous incident with a joint during his release. Perez explains his background as a Peter Pan kid, one of 14,000 children sent from Cuba to the U.S. in 1960, and how his revolutionary family connections led him into smuggling. He argues that Cuban revolutionaries, cut off from U.S. funding, became the primary smugglers in the Caribbean. Perez discusses his book 'Heisting the Beard,' about Fidel Castro's involvement in drug running, and shares anecdotes about Cuban mafia figures like Jorge Battle. The episode concludes with Perez reflecting on his life, his wife's influence on his writing, and a bizarre story about receiving a minor ticket while smuggling a large drug load.

As heard by us

Carlos Perez traces a drug-business climb from grunt work to bigger loads.

Gangland Wire follows Carlos Perez as he walks through his rise inside the drug business, starting in a low-end transport role and inching closer to the bosses after buying his own load.

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Why you'd press play

Carlos Perez walks you from grunt work to a bigger seat at the table.

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