Drug lord Pablo Escobar's 24th death anniversary: Some facts about the King of Cocaine

Pablo Escobar a name synonyms to drug smuggling and the poster boy of drug lords died 25 years ago today in a police shootout. (Photo: WikiCommnons)
Pablo Escobar a name synonyms to drug smuggling and the poster boy of drug lords died 25 years ago today in a police shootout. (Photo: WikiCommnons)
Updated on
2 min read
Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was a Colombian drug lord and narcoterrorist. His cartel supplied an estimated 80 percent of the cocaine smuggled into the United States at the height of his career, turning over USD 21.9 billion a year in personal income. IN PIC: This undated file photo shows Medellin drug cartel leader Pablo Escobar who has been held at the Envigado Prison since 19 June 1991. Escobar and his lieutenants seized hostages, overpowered guards and escaped 22 July, 1992 after a gun battle left two dead. (Photo: AP)
Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria was a Colombian drug lord and narcoterrorist. His cartel supplied an estimated 80 percent of the cocaine smuggled into the United States at the height of his career, turning over USD 21.9 billion a year in personal income. IN PIC: This undated file photo shows Medellin drug cartel leader Pablo Escobar who has been held at the Envigado Prison since 19 June 1991. Escobar and his lieutenants seized hostages, overpowered guards and escaped 22 July, 1992 after a gun battle left two dead. (Photo: AP)
His drug network was commonly known as the Medellín Cartel, which often competed with rival cartels domestically and abroad, resulting in massacres and the murders of police officers, judges, locals, and prominent politicians. IN PIC: An image taken on 6 September 1989 from Colombian television of a wanted advertisement for Medellin drug cartel leaders Pablo Escobar and Gonzalo Rodriguez. (Photo: AP)
His drug network was commonly known as the Medellín Cartel, which often competed with rival cartels domestically and abroad, resulting in massacres and the murders of police officers, judges, locals, and prominent politicians. IN PIC: An image taken on 6 September 1989 from Colombian television of a wanted advertisement for Medellin drug cartel leaders Pablo Escobar and Gonzalo Rodriguez. (Photo: AP)
IN PIC: This photo taken 10 August at the Enviagado Prison shows Pablo Escobar,posing as Pancho Villa. The original photo hangs in one of the rooms in the prison where Escobar was incarcerated. Escobar and nine of his associates escaped from the prison 22 July after 13 months of detention. (Photo: AP)
IN PIC: This photo taken 10 August at the Enviagado Prison shows Pablo Escobar,posing as Pancho Villa. The original photo hangs in one of the rooms in the prison where Escobar was incarcerated. Escobar and nine of his associates escaped from the prison 22 July after 13 months of detention. (Photo: AP)
He was often called 'The King of Cocaine' and was the wealthiest criminal in history, with an estimated known net worth of USD30 billion by the early 1990s making him one of the richest men in the world in his prime. IN PIC: A Colombian policeman guards a Packard '39 reportedly owned by Medellin drug kingpin Pablo Escobar 21 March 1993 at a local police station. Special search units have increased their operations in and around Medellin in an effort to capture Escobar. (Photo: AP)
He was often called 'The King of Cocaine' and was the wealthiest criminal in history, with an estimated known net worth of USD30 billion by the early 1990s making him one of the richest men in the world in his prime. IN PIC: A Colombian policeman guards a Packard '39 reportedly owned by Medellin drug kingpin Pablo Escobar 21 March 1993 at a local police station. Special search units have increased their operations in and around Medellin in an effort to capture Escobar. (Photo: AP)
In the 1970s, he began to work for various contraband smugglers, often kidnapping and holding people for ransom before beginning to distribute powder cocaine himself, as well as establishing the first smuggling routes into the United States in 1975. IN PIC: Juan Pablo Escobar, son of Pablo Escobar, is escorted by bodyguards from the Colombian Attorney General 's office in Medellin, Colombia, 27 November 1993, to a plane that will carry his family to an unknown destination, local officials said. The wife, son, and daughter of the Medellin Cartel's chief left Medellin after the attorney general ended their government protection. (Photo: AP)
In the 1970s, he began to work for various contraband smugglers, often kidnapping and holding people for ransom before beginning to distribute powder cocaine himself, as well as establishing the first smuggling routes into the United States in 1975. IN PIC: Juan Pablo Escobar, son of Pablo Escobar, is escorted by bodyguards from the Colombian Attorney General 's office in Medellin, Colombia, 27 November 1993, to a plane that will carry his family to an unknown destination, local officials said. The wife, son, and daughter of the Medellin Cartel's chief left Medellin after the attorney general ended their government protection. (Photo: AP)
IN PIC: Colombian police and military forces storm the rooftop where drug lord Pablo Escobar was shot dead just moments earlier during an exchange of gunfire between security forces and Escobar and his bodyguard 02 December 1993. The death of Escobar and the bodygaurd ends a 16-month hunt for Escobar, who controlled one of the world's most ruthless drug trafficking empires (Photo: AP)
IN PIC: Colombian police and military forces storm the rooftop where drug lord Pablo Escobar was shot dead just moments earlier during an exchange of gunfire between security forces and Escobar and his bodyguard 02 December 1993. The death of Escobar and the bodygaurd ends a 16-month hunt for Escobar, who controlled one of the world's most ruthless drug trafficking empires (Photo: AP)
In 1982, Escobar was elected as an alternate member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia as part of the Liberal Alternative movement. Through this, he was responsible for the construction of houses and football fields in western Colombia, which gained him notable popularity among the locals of the towns that he frequented. However, Colombia became the murder capital of the world, and Escobar was vilified by the Colombian and American governments.(Photo: Wikicommons)
In 1982, Escobar was elected as an alternate member of the Chamber of Representatives of Colombia as part of the Liberal Alternative movement. Through this, he was responsible for the construction of houses and football fields in western Colombia, which gained him notable popularity among the locals of the towns that he frequented. However, Colombia became the murder capital of the world, and Escobar was vilified by the Colombian and American governments.(Photo: Wikicommons)
IN PIC: The body of Medellin drug cartel leader Pablo Escobar (C) lies on the roof of a house 02 December 1993 moments after Escobar was gunned down by Colombian police while trying to escape authorities (Photo: AP)
IN PIC: The body of Medellin drug cartel leader Pablo Escobar (C) lies on the roof of a house 02 December 1993 moments after Escobar was gunned down by Colombian police while trying to escape authorities (Photo: AP)
Escobar when cut out a deal with the country government after paying the state's loan ,he was confined in what camr to be known as luxurious private prison, La Catedral, which featured a football pitch, giant doll house, bar, jacuzzi, zoo and waterfall. IN PIC: An hippopotamus born in 'Napoles', the farm of the late drug lord Pablo Escobar, drinks water on July 23, 2008, in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia. (Photo: AP)
Escobar when cut out a deal with the country government after paying the state's loan ,he was confined in what camr to be known as luxurious private prison, La Catedral, which featured a football pitch, giant doll house, bar, jacuzzi, zoo and waterfall. IN PIC: An hippopotamus born in 'Napoles', the farm of the late drug lord Pablo Escobar, drinks water on July 23, 2008, in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia. (Photo: AP)
16 months after his escape from La Catedral, Pablo Escobar died in a shootout on 2 December 1993, amid another of Escobar's attempts to elude the Search Bloc. IN PIC: Picture of the tombstone of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, taken on December 2, 2008, in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia, on the 15th anniversary of his death. (Photo: AP)
16 months after his escape from La Catedral, Pablo Escobar died in a shootout on 2 December 1993, amid another of Escobar's attempts to elude the Search Bloc. IN PIC: Picture of the tombstone of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, taken on December 2, 2008, in Medellin, Antioquia department, Colombia, on the 15th anniversary of his death. (Photo: AP)
The Robin Hood image that Escobar had cultivated maintained a lasting influence in Medellín. Many there, especially many of the city's poor whom Escobar had aided while he was alive, mourned his death, and over 25,000 people attended his funeral. IN PIC: A graffiti of late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar at the neighbourhood that has his name in Medellin, Colombia on September 8, 2017. (Photo: AP)
The Robin Hood image that Escobar had cultivated maintained a lasting influence in Medellín. Many there, especially many of the city's poor whom Escobar had aided while he was alive, mourned his death, and over 25,000 people attended his funeral. IN PIC: A graffiti of late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar at the neighbourhood that has his name in Medellin, Colombia on September 8, 2017. (Photo: AP)

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com