Drug Lord is the real thing. Raw, immediate, indispensable. -- Don Winslow, author of City on Fire and The Power of the Dog
Pablo Acosta was a living legend in his Mexican border town of Ojinaga. He smuggled tremendous amounts of drugs into the United States; he survived numerous attempts on his power--and his life--by rivals; and he blessed the town with charity and civic improvements. He was finally slain in 1987 during a raid by Mexican officials with the cooperation of US law enforcement. Poppa has turned out a detailed and exciting book ... a nonfiction account with enough greed, treachery, shoot-outs, and government corruption to fascinate true crime and crime fiction readers alike. Highly recommended.--Library Journal
This gripping and thorough look into a pivotal period in drug smuggling from Mexico is based on interviews the author personally conducted with Pablo Acosta, who once controlled 60% of the cocaine trafficked into the U.S. This new edition includes front and back matter that gives an overview of how the Mexican smuggling trade and government has changed, and an argument from the author for drug legalization as a means to ending the violence once and for all.