Interest inthe case revived in August whenMexican authorities released Caro Quintero from jail12 years before the end of his sentence. Contains real page numbers based on the print edition (ISBN 1950369323). In a famous Inspector General's reporton alleged CIA ties to traffickers issued in 1998, for example, there is no mention of the Guadalajara Cartel, Caro Quintero or anything else related to the case. His name was Felix Rodrguez. Amazing insight on not only the investigation, but also to the man conducting it! On November 9, the magazine offered still more details, via an interview with Plumlee, of the alleged connections between the US spy agency and the Guadalajara Cartel's Rafael Caro Quintero, the convicted intellectual author of the Camarena murder. But there was one proof, it ended up becoming one of the biggest investigations in the history of DEA. "Hector Berrellez is a stone warrior, whose astonishing life story took him from the barrios of Tucson to the killing fields of Mexico and the halls of power in D.C. and into the heart of darkness of the most notorious murder in the history of the Drug War. No regrets. He was the perfect fit, but his investigation uncovered a horrendous CIA link, which forced Hector to reconsider how to progress with the case. Meet Hector Berrellez: The Former DEA Agent in Amazon's 'The Last Narc' It is a high-level international investigation and executive security firm which specializes in investigating things related to business, the government, or the environment. Berrellez was 42 at the time. There was a problem loading your book clubs. To be sure, Matta Ballesteros was in Mexico since at least the early 1970s. But will it make a difference to, Fentanyl continues to wreak havoc on both sides of the US-Mexico border, as Mexican security forces continue to seize the, The US trial of Genaro Garca Luna, the architect of Mexico's war on drugs, will seek to prove whether he, This week, InSight Crimes work was cited nine times in a newreportby the Organization of American States (OAS) titled The Impact of Organized Crime on Women,, This week, InSight Crime deputy editor, Juan Diego Posada, was interviewed by theAssociated Pressabout connections between theex-FARC mafiaand Brazilian criminal groups, and, As Ecuadors security crisis worsens, global media outlets have called on InSight Crime to provide expert knowledge on the criminal dynamics fueling the growing criminality.Americas Quarterly cited our work on, InSight Crime senior investigator Douwe den Held was interviewed by Chilean newspaperEl Mercuriothis week. On November 2, Proceso followed up with a story drawing from a public event in which other former DEA agents confirmed the connections between the CIA and members of the cartel but denied assertions the agency was involved in Camarena's murder. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. But in 1846, a new wave of migration was coming from the East Americanos gives us a bit of interesting history that is relevant in the United States current internal friction (chapter Antepasado). 'Narcos: Mexico': Is Real-Life Drug Lord Flix Gallardo Alive Today? Hectors the CEO, and the firm looks to be secretive enough not to have a prominent online presence. As a victim, he was betrayed by the very people who tasked him with fighting the societal evils that seem overwhelming. Hector Berrellez is a stone warrior, whose astonishing life story took him from the barrios of Tucson to the killing fields of Mexico and the halls of power in D.C. and into the heart of darkness of the most notorious murder in the history of the Drug War. Reading this book has put a lot into perspective for me. Ex-DEA agent Phil Jordan once headed the El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC); Hector Berrellez was a DEA supervisor on the case; and Tosh Plumlee was a former CIA contract pilot who worked with SETCO, a Honduran-based airline owned by Honduran drug trafficker Juan Ramon Matta Ballesteros. At first glance, they seemed like wild assertions: in October, the Mexican magazine Proceso and Fox News, based on interviews with two former agents and a former contractor, said the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had executed Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena in 1985, after Camarena discovered the agency's plan to finance the CIA's proxy army in Central America, the Contras, using illicit drug funds. However, the assertion that the CIA presided over the murder of a DEA agent seems -- with the documents that are publicly available now at least --more conspiracy theory than reality. For more than 30 hours, Caro-Quintero and others interrogated Camarena and crushed his skull, jaw, nose and cheekbones with a tire iron. Caro Quintero had billions of dollars stashed in secret bank accounts in Luxembourg and in Switzerland, former DEA agent Hector Berrellez told me in a telephone interview. A prosecution witness in the Enrique Camarena murder trial testified Friday in Los Angeles federal court that Mexican drug lord Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo told him that he believed his narcotics trafficking operation was safe because he was supplying arms to the Nicaraguan Contras. Berrellez claimed that he saw with his own eyesthose accounts in electronic statements in 1995 while investigating the Mexican trafficker at the DEA headquarters. He is recognized as one of the most highest decorated Drug Enforcement Agent in the history of the bureau. We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. Your story resonates with me. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1990/07/16/trial-in-camarena-case-shows-dea-anger-at-cia/e91baa2d-7231-47c3-94f4-30196209ecd0/, The Last Narc has been canceled? Please support our mission investigating organized crime. Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2022. The author gives us a quick but good read a story on the various aspects of his career, our nation, our neighbor, and his personal journey. As a hero, he dedicated his whole life trying to right the wrongs that he encountered. Camarena by drug traffickers in Guadalajara, Mexico in which Hector They broke his ribs, drilled a hole in his head and tortured him with a cattle prod. The cartel had his body dug up by a crew of guys, including El Chapo, who specialized in such work and left Kiki where he could be found.. He is now on the FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list with a reward of up to $20 million for information leading to his capture. Former DEA Agent Sues Amazon Studios for Portrayal in 'The - Variety In the Amazon docuseries, Berrellez gave an account of how the government may be aware of what happened to Camarena in Mexico. They gave them to us," Berrellez told Fox News. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In the series, Berrellez claims his efforts were shut down by his DEA bosses after he pieced together details about the CIA's cocaine and gun operation. The person writing spoke of the first time he killed a man, shooting him twice in the stomach with a .357 magnum, until the clip was empty. The .357 magnum is revolver ammunition and the writer should have used the word cylinder. That bothered me. But he talked to guys who hand-delivered the drugs., The Last Narc chronicles Berrellezs investigation. On how he was able to bring a number of the alleged culprits, Bellerez had a budget of about $3 million with a team of 20 agents. How a Dogged L.A. DEA Agent Unraveled the CIA's Alleged Role in the He was tortured over a 30-hour period and then murdered. The series alleges a corruption so deep that Mexicos then-president, Miguel de la Madrid, received kilos of cocaine as gifts from traffickers. the U.S. Attorney General Ed Meese for heroism. Rodriguez has denied any involvement and claims that the allegations against him are the result of a Cuban intelligence disinformation campaign. Buy this book. So, conspiracy theories aside, the record shows an indirect connection between the CIA and the Guadalajara Cartel via Matta Ballesteros and possibly a more direct connection via the Mexican police. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "Beginning in 1984, SETCO was the principal company used by the Contras to transport supplies and personnel to the FDN [Fuerza Democratica Nicaraguense, a Contra faction], carrying at least a million rounds of ammunition, food, uniforms, and other military supplies to the Contras from 1983 through 1985," the report says. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating explosive new allegations that a Central Intelligence Agency operative and Drug Enforcement Administration official played a role in the 1985 abduction, torture and murder of DEA agent Enrique Kiki Camarena, a report claims. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-07-mn-149-story.html, Informant Puts CIA at Ranch of Agents Killer, ByHENRY WEINSTEIN JULY 5, 1990 12 AM TIMES STAFF WRITER. [5] The CIA has denied any involvement in Camarena's death. The investigation remains open. Those last two factors set off alarm bells for Berrellez, now 74. Actually taping Kiki, Phil Jordan, former director of the DEA's El Paso Intelligence Center, told Fox News in 2013. Berrellez begins his book I am a man who is haunted by the past. Amazon itself has not revealed whether the CIA had decided to cancel the series, or given any reason as to why the show is not currently available to stream. The former DEA agent received training as a combat and field medic at the time of the Vietnam war that lasted from 1955 to 1975. He survived gunfights, assassination attempts and a deep state conspiracy. I can go on and on with this. The Justice Department reportedly started re-examining the case in 2019, two years after a federal court tossed convictions against two suspects. The report does not specify a date on which this occurred. Supervisor and Special Agent, with thirty years extensive experience in counter terrorism and narcotics enforcement. The Last Narc alleges that some US political operatives viewed Kiki as collateral damage in a larger mission to protect America against foreign enemies. Hector Berrellez in 'The Last Narc' (Amazon Studios) Mexico's second-largest metropolis, Guadalajara, is known for its sunny weather, tequila and mariachi music. Hector was stunned when he heard that, Russell said of DEA special agent Hector Berrellez, who would later try to learn exactly what happened to Kiki. Barbara Baekeland- Shocking Story Of Incest, Adultery, Murder- Everything To Know, Lewis Hamiltons Siblings: Meet His Brother And Two Sisters, Who Is Nicolas Hamilton? "A 1983 Customs Investigative Report states that 'SETCO stands for Services Ejecutivos Turistas Commander and is headed by Juan Ramon Mata (sic) Ballesteros, a class I DEA Violator,'" the Kerry report states. He said the accounts were listed under the alien name that Caro Quintero, a major drug trafficker and fugitive from U.S. justice, used to do business with Mexican banks. In fact, a little digging shows Hector as an applicant for the APA membership, as per the 2011 APA Magazine (The magazine for the polygraph professional). He was recognized by Hector Berrellez is a former D.E.A. Your own government killed Camarena. The details of what really happened to Kiki remain difficult to access even today, more than 30 years later. The highest decorated DEA agent in history, Hector Berrellez sits down to discuss what happened to kidnapped CIA agent Kiki Camarena. According to the lawsuit who names the defendants as star and former DEA supervisor and special agent Hector Berrellez, assistant producer John Massaria, executive producer Tiller Russel, Good Pixel Productions and the Intellectual Property Corporation the Show masquerades as a factual documentary, but in reality, it aims to capitalize on Camarenas tragic murder by scandalizing it for profit and for entertainment value.. 'The Last Narc' suggests CIA helped kidnap, murder DEA agent The series was released by Amazon in July 2020. 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, The Last Narc: A Memoir by the DEA's Most Notorious Agent. [1], The docuseries recounts the story of DEA Agent Kiki Camarena's investigation of Mexican cartel drug lords including Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo, Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo and Rafael Caro Quintero, his death at the hands of drug lords and the CIA, and the DEA relations that followed Camarena's death. He knew they were bringing in tons of cocaine, but he did not know that the CIA was involved, said Berrellez. Mexico has arrested one of El Chapo's sons, Ovidio, at a bitter cost. By the late 1970s, after being released from jail, he had worked his way through the distribution chain and become a key operative of the Guadalajara Cartel. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Kikis death launched Operation Leyenda, the largest DEA homicide investigation ever. When DEA narcotics agent Enrique Kiki Camarena was kidnapped and interrogated in 1985 by the leaders of Mexicos Guadalajara Cartel, it was like a party. I hope you continue to write. Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2022. Social Media: Facebook. But then, he had to keep them away from each other as well as grant them witness protection. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. However, this is inconsistent with what's known about Felix Rodriguez's and Matta Ballesteros' histories. Nor do they memorialize their interrogations: That is CIA methodology.. In the story, an account of the involvement of Bellerez was exposed, as well as those of the widowed wife of Camerena, Mika Camarena, and people involved in the life and death of the former DEA agent. I fell down a rabbit hole and ended up here, devouring every last punctuation mark of this look into the life of a Bad Ass. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating explosive new allegations that a Central Intelligence Agency operative and Drug Enforcement Administration official played a role in the 1985 abduction,. After the bombshell discovery, you might be wondering where Hector is at present. The one in Luxembourg had $4 billion and the other one had even more.. The world needs more people like you. Docs Reveal CIA-Guadalajara Link, Not Conspiracy - InSight Crime The lawsuit states that the series hinges on a lurid conspiracy narrative that purports Central Intelligence Agency agents and other U.S. officials secretly conspired with the cartel to traffic drugs into the United States so that the proceeds could be used to fund the Contras then fighting the Communist regime in Nicaragua. [8] The newspaper writes that The Last Narc makes a convincing argument about Camarena's death: "In a blunt way, this work by Amazon also establishes something that has been ventilated before: the Sinaloa Cartel was a creation of the PRI regime through the DFS and the DFS, in turn, was a creation of the CIA. What Shows Have Been Renewed or Canceled? "Director of Amazon's 'The Last Narc' had a gun pulled on him during filming", "Did the CIA Torture an Undercover DEA Agent for a Mexican Drug Cartel? However, when people went to start watching the first episode on release day, they were met with a message saying the title was currently unavailable. A ledger from the report shows the State Department paid $185,924.25 to SETCO between January and August of 1986, a year after Camarena was killed and Matta Ballesteros was a known suspect in the case. It also opened the eyes of many authors and reporters to state that Bellerez may have more informants than the CIA. I feel like we were all betrayed, he told The Post, referring to himself and his informants. After I watched Amazon's prime video regarding Hector's story, I bought the book. One of those arrested was Rafael Caro-Quintero. "According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (sic), 'SETCO Aviation is a corporation formed by American businessmen who are dealing with Matta and are smuggling narcotics into the United States.'". It hasnt yet killed me, but it has debilitated me, seeping up and into my roots, poisoning me but keeping me alive. Each one of them pointed to the same man. We then verify, write and edit, providing the tools to generate real impact. This page is not available in other languages. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. [5] According to Berrellez, Camarena was killed because he was going to disclose these connections. He was retired CIA. or redistributed. Hector Berrellez is the DEA agent featured in 'The Last Narc'. I couldnt set this book down. However, his name was listed in the lawsuit of DEA agent James Kuykendall in his sue against Amazon studios for defamation of name in The Last Narc. I went through an array of emotions while reading it. "In (Camarenas) interrogation room, I was told by Mexican authorities, that CIA operatives were in there. This would lead to his becoming a highly decorated American Drug Enforcement Agent who served as a DEA Supervisor and Special Agent for 30 years until his retirement in 1996. There is too many ghosts behind me, Godoy told USA Today. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Then a little further on whoever wrote this said his supervisor asked him why he shot the guy ten times. It conveys the impression that you are actually there. Over 3 million titles. We go into the field to interview, report and investigate. One outlet reports that Hector revealed to them the series had been canceled by the CIA. The details were sketchy -- reports of a CIA asset recording the torture session came via Mexican informants, for instance -- but the sources were strong. To my knowledge they were never confiscated, Berrellez said. Word Wise helps you read harder books by explaining the most challenging words in the book. He would be reportedly tortured for about 30 hours and brutally killed in Mexico. EXCLUSIVE | 'The Last Narc' has been canceled? DEA agent Hector .orange-text-color {color: #FE971E;} Explore your book, then jump right back to where you left off with Page Flip. Also watch the last narc on prime, both are really good. I wasted my time and exposed myself to all that danger., The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images. Another witness warned Hector to stop digging. The CIA considers itself above the law which combined with its intelligence expertise and drug money is a major threat to our democracy. Nicknamed The DEAs Elliot Ness, Hector Berrellez became a man who was bent on creating a society with less crime, especially as related to drugs and terrorism. Or at least some of their contract workers were there. This story has been shared 152,008 times. In the earliest years of his career, Bellerez served as a homicide cop. In most cases, people expect new titles to be made available on streaming services at midnight on release day so what gives? MEXICO CITY, JULY 15 -- The trial in Los Angeles of four men accused of involvement in the 1985 murder of a U.S. narcotics agent has brought to the surface years of resentment by Drug Enforcement Administration officials of the Central Intelligence Agency's long collaboration with a former Mexican secret police unit that was heavily involved in drug trafficking. OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, In separate interviews with the El Paso Times, Mexican authorities released Caro Quintero from jail, The court overturned this decision in early November, Bribes, Bullets, and Intimidation: Drug Trafficking and the Law in Central America, the independent counsel Lawrence Walsh's report, eventually sentenced to multiple life sentences, International Development Research Centre, Colombia's New Security Policy Faces Challenges on Environmental Aims, Colombias Coca Market Crash Unlikely to Impact Cocaine Trade, InSight Crime Cited in OAS, CARICOM Reports, Cocaine and Marijuana Fuel Ever-Higher Homicides in Costa Rica, Corruption Takes Center Stage in Paraguay Presidential Election, In Lara, Venezuela, Criminal 'Colectivos' Control Public Services. It is clear that hes led an exciting life. Berrellez was a career DEA man by the time he was handed the case. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Hector has kept his marital life private but in his career, he is currently a certified polygraph examiner and established an international investigation and executive security firm, SPI Group Inc. "[2], According to the Florida-based CE Noticias Financieras, The Last Narc "is notable" for approaching the story of Camarena's death beyond the ordinary patriotic narratives of the US and Mexican government. He was 42 years old at the time and had worked in the DEA for more than 10 years. Little by little, Hector Bellerez started to draw attention to himself when he led the arrest of several drug dealers. Its called The Last Narc, and its supposed to be available to start streaming on May 15, 2020. ", At some point between 1981 and 1984, Harrison said, "members of the Mexican Federal Judicial Police arrived at the ranch while on a separate narcotics investigation and were confronted by the guerrillas. He is recognized as one of the most highest decorated Drug Hector remained with the DEA until 1996. All About Drew Sidoras Husband And Cheating Claims, Who Is Willow Oakley? Eventually, prosecutors did obtain tapes of Camarena's torture and murder. The suit states its cause of action as defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violation of the plaintiffs right of publicity. [5] According to Berrellez, Camarena was killed because he was going to disclose these connections. He has similarities to DEA agent Hector Berrellez, a real member of Operation Leyenda. DEA agent Hector Berrellez says CIA took it off; Tiller Russel said the CIA pressured Amazon to cancel TV series (KIKI Camarena murder) due to a National Security issue. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, the DEA agent murdered in Mexico in 1985. Distractify is a registered trademark. DEA Agent Hector Berrellez Interview (Valuetainment Clips) Podcastn Out 52.5K subscribers Subscribe 4.9K views 2 years ago #Narcos #HectorBerrellez #KikiCamarena The highest decorated DEA. In April 1988, Honduran army officials along with US Marshals picked him up after his morning jog, then bundled him into an airplane and took him to the Dominican Republic. Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2020. He was taken off the case, assigned to a desk job in DC and told not to reach out to any of his sources. Market data provided by Factset. He spoke Spanish, had done extensive undercover work, and had even spoken with Kiki over the phone on numerous occasions. Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2021. Hector Berrellez was the agent in charge of the investigation. Having been stationed for anti-terrorist security measures in US embassies in Central and South America, Hector has seen quite a bit of the world. Hector Berrellez is the last narc in Amazons The Last Narc. Its not the first time the American intelligence assets have been accused of having a role in Camarenas demise. Kuykendall asserts that the show bolsters its false narratives by relying on unreliable, discredited and unnamed sources. By the mid-1980s, Mexican and US media referred to him as the Guadalajara Cartel's boss. The more Kiki expressed ignorance, the worse the torture. Enjoy a great reading experience when you borrow the Kindle edition of this book with your Kindle Unlimited membership. Amazon has encountered an error. US intelligence present during DEA agent's torture Thanks for reaching out. US probing claims that CIA operative, DEA official betrayal led to He survived gunfights, assassination attempts and a deep state conspiracy. [5] Also interviewed are employees and enforcers of the cartels who helped capture and torture Camarena, but later became witnesses for the DEA. Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. The Last Narc: A Memoir by the DEA's Most Notorious Agent Buy this book. Although Quintero, Carrillo and others were arrested by Mexican authorities for their involvement by the time Berrellez began to investigate, he believed that it went deeper perhaps to the CIA. The suit alleges that Russell and Amazon representatives spoke with Kuykendall while the show was in development and despite Kuykendall demanding the show not be published due to its falsity, proceeded regardless. Blood on the Corn: A DEA Agent is Tortured and Killed in Mexico Narcos Mexico Kiki Camarena murder DEA agent Phil Jordan Hector - MEAWW CIA protectiveness of the DFS surfaced publicly in 1981, when the chief of the Mexican agency at that time, Miguel Nazar Haro, was indicted in San Diego on charges of involvement in a massive cross-border car-theft ring. No regrets. Nevertheless, 23 sources were murdered over the course of the investigation. Interviews: Geneva Camarena & Ex-DEA agents Mike Holm, Hector Berrellez,Jaime Kuykendall, Phil Jordan, https://np.reddit.com/r/narcos/comments/gkc701/the_last_narc_canceled/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vhhUOaBM_E (The official Amazon trailer is removed), https://meaww.com/the-last-narc-amazon-prime-docuseries-kiki-camarena-murder-torture-hector-berrellez-interview, *NEW* Amazon Prime Series The Last Narc: Hector Berrellez, assigned to lead the DEAs investigation of Enrique "KIKI" Camarenas murder, reveals the bone-chilling truth about a conspiracy that stretches from the killing fields of Mexico to the halls of power in Washington, D.C./ director Tiller Russell, https://np.reddit.com/r/narcos/comments/g5pdym/amazon_prime_series_the_last_narc_hector/, THE DEA WAS A MAJOR SELLER OF DRUGS IN THE 1980s- IRAN CONTRA INVESTIGATORS, https://NP.reddit.com/r/NarcoFootage/comments/m02nlq/federal_judge_edward_rafeedie_tried_to_suppress/, U.S. House of Representatives official Transcript, https://np.reddit.com/r/NarcoFootage/comments/l1qzz6/in_1982_the_dea_learned_that_felix_gallardo_was/, https://np.reddit.com/r/NarcoFootage/comments/m6nth0/sicilia_falcon_gross_revenue_37m_per_week_source/, https://np.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/comments/jz4yt9/famous_quotes_by_dea_about_the_contras_and_crack/, https://np.reddit.com/r/TopConspiracy/comments/uwwvh6/dark_alliance_book_version_accuses_the_government/, https://np.reddit.com/r/conspiracyundone/comments/vb6rau/iran_contra_records_1980s_dea_ran_drugs_and/, https://np.reddit.com/r/conspiracyundone/comments/vb6uyq/san_diego_dea_office_ausa_david_hall_tried_to/, DEA Agent Hector Berrellez: $8 Billion never seized from Drug Lord who Killed DEA Agent Enrique KIKI Camarena. At this point, nothing would surprise me.. Market data provided by Factset. This may sound dramatic but if you pay attention to the nuances of Berrellez writing one may understand why. Matta Ballesteros' nexus with the Guadalajara Cartel eventually caught up with him. Just as insightful as the tv series, but more insightful on the investigator Hector Berrellez and what happened to him after he was hung out to dry! The undated file photo distributed by the Mexican government shows Rafael Caro-Quintero. A moving and deeply personal account of one DEA agents heroic efforts to bring the murderers of Kiki camarena to justice. It's been canceled forever and it's a cover-up and they don't want the truth to come out., Hi there. They allegedly held him in a house filled with spectators and depraved participants, including Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, then a foot soldier in the syndicate. Special Award. One of the officers, George Godoy, said he spoke to DEA officials about the killing in April 2019 and that the U.S. government has given him and the other cops immunity in exchange for their accounts.
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