Journalist Roben Farzad, who relocated to Miami in 1978 during the onset of the cocaine boom, later authored “Hotel Scarface: Where Cocaine Cowboys Partied and Plotted to Control Miami.” The book delves into the captivating history of a hotel at the epicenter of the Miami drug trade. Farzad emphasized the irresistibly lucrative and seductive nature of the cocaine trade, leading individuals to commit extreme acts for wealth and power.

A prominent figure in this era was Griselda Blanco, dubbed the “Cocaine Godmother” due to her unprecedented and fearsome rise to power. Blanco, willing to resort to violence, orchestrated the trafficking of substantial drug quantities from Colombia through Miami, New York, and California for almost a decade, amassing considerable wealth. Elaine Carey, author of “Women Drug Traffickers: Mules, Bosses, and Organized Crime,” revealed Blanco’s strategic use of Colombian sex workers as drug mules. These women, outfitted with specially designed garments, helped transport cocaine by concealing it as part of their natural appearance.

Blanco’s adept manipulation of misogyny facilitated the establishment of a vast distribution network across the U.S., generating tens of millions of dollars monthly. She maintained dominance through a violent empire, employing enforcers to eliminate rivals promptly and discreetly. It was estimated that Blanco smuggled $80 million worth of cocaine into the United States each month.

Celebrity Net Worth reported Blanco’s peak net worth at $2 billion, derived from her drug trafficking activities. Additionally, Blanco invested in real estate valued at approximately $500 million at the time of her death. The federal authorities seized properties totaling 2 billion pesos (around $118.7 million), with beliefs that she owned numerous others, including a $32.6 million apartment.