"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.'". He started the security firm with his friend and former law enforcement official, Brandon Pender. One day, Hector spread 10 photographs across his desk and called in the witnesses one at a time. Hector Berrellez in 'The Last Narc' (Amazon Studios) Mexico's second-largest metropolis, Guadalajara, is known for its sunny weather, tequila and mariachi music. 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. There he was convicted to 40 years in prison. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. One of those arrested was Rafael Caro-Quintero. Berrellez retired in 1996. They gave them to us," Berrellez told Fox News. 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,. This story is 100% true and shocking in everything it states about the death of Kiki, and US justice. Hector Berrellez is a former D.E.A. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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A former homicide cop, he'd joined the DEA more than a decade earlier as a prized recruit, a thrill-seeker and trained investigator who spoke Spanish without a. 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. 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. The details were sketchy -- reports of a CIA asset recording the torture session came via Mexican informants, for instance -- but the sources were strong. It is clear that hes led an exciting life. Untold Truth About Jess Brolin, James Brolins Son And Barbra Streisands Stepson? Supervisor and Special Agent, with thirty years extensive experience in counter terrorism and narcotics enforcement. Also in the mix: corrupt Mexican politicians and, according to sources in the series, CIA agent Felix Rodriguez allegedly there to protect American interests in a tangled web of drugs, money and dirty politics. Please use a different way to share. Or at least some of their contract workers were there. The ideas, thoughts and opinions contained in this document are those of the author or authors. What Shows Have Been Renewed or Canceled? When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period. Please try again. In January of 1989, Hector was chosen to lead Operation Leyenda. From Colombia, he made his way back to Honduras where despite the international warrant for his arrest, he enjoyed a very public life. The FBI office at the U.S. Embassy here cabled strong protests, calling Nazar Haro an "essential contact for CIA station Mexico City.". Many of the bodies showed signs of torture; the bodies had been drawn and quartered.". He has also been working with Brandon Pender, his long term friend, and business associate. However, what the decorated agent has been able to do, is make a good life for himself, where he can follow his passion and practice his crafts in a private capacity. Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2022. His contributions to the law enforcement agency couldnt have him go unnoticed and as such received several awards including a heroism award from US Attorney General Ed Meese. Over 3 million titles. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. [2] The docuseries interviews the DEA agent who spearheaded the investigation of Camarena's death. Then the torture continued. He would go through different people he knew could be of help in Mexico ranging from law enforcement agents to the office of the attorney general. As well as trafficking his goods, the airline moved shipments for the State Department and the CIA, according to a 1988 congressional report (pdf). No regrets. Hector holds a BA and BS from the University of Phoenix, Arizona, and a Doctorate in International Law from the University of Michoacan, Mexico. Your story resonates with me. CONTRAS trained on Drug Lords Veracruz ranch. [5] He said that after he asked Jorge Godoy one interview question, Godoy drew a pistol. The series interviews DEA agents and witnesses to Camarena's death who state that he was murdered by Mexican drug lords, with the complicity of the CIA. thirty years extensive experience in counter terrorism and narcotics 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. I went through an array of emotions while reading it. As a hero, he dedicated his whole life trying to right the wrongs that he encountered. Berrellez was 42 at the time. The suit states its cause of action as defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violation of the plaintiffs right of publicity. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club thats right for you for free. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 1, 2020, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2021, The last narc amazing insight into the D.E.A in mexico, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2021, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. The U.S. has placed him on the FBI's Most Wanted Fugitives list. Also watch the last narc on prime, both are really good. He was 42 years old at the time and had worked in the DEA for more than 10 years. He maintains that the CIA functioned hand-in-glove with the cartel, allegedly using drug money to finance covert military operations, much like the Iran-Contra affair of the same era. Hector was not close to a hero when he was a little boy as he grew up to become. One of them cost Mexican drug lord Rafael Caro-Quintero $2.5 billion. Hector Berellez lived his earliest years away from the media but attended the prestigious University of Phoenix and the University of Michoacan, Mexico for Bachelors and Doctorate respectively. .orange-text-color {color: #FE971E;} Discover additional details about the events, people, and places in your book, with Wikipedia integration. After I watched Amazon's prime video regarding Hector's story, I bought the book. "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. Digging amidst the web of lies in Mexico, Hector ended up finding much more than he hoped for. Page Flip is a new way to explore your books without losing your place. We encourage readers to copy and distribute our work for non-commercial purposes, with attribution to InSight Crime in the byline and links to the original at both the top and bottom of the article. The court overturned this decision in early November,and authorities are searching for Caro Quintero anew. When he passed out, a cartel-connected physician injected his heart with reviving pharmaceuticals. However, the book is well written in the 1st person and whoever took on this part is skilled, that alone compelled me to stick with it. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Who is Hector Berrellez Wife and Where is He Now? 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. The former DEA supervisor was born on September 27, 1946, in Tucson, Arizona in the United States of America but has his roots in Mexico. enforcement. Your own government killed Camarena. The details of what really happened to Kiki remain difficult to access even today, more than 30 years later. Impact of Illicit Fentanyl Felt on Both Sides of US-Mexico Border, InSight Crime Staff Cited as Experts by International Media, Media Looks to InSight Crime for Ecuador Knowledge, The Venezuela Organized Crime Observatory Continues to Be a Benchmark in the Region. 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. [5] According to Berrellez, Camarena was killed because he was going to disclose these connections. Kiki was reportedly nabbed near the American consulate in Guadalajara, at the behest of Rafael Caro Quintero and Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo, partners in the cartel. Kuykendall asserts that the show bolsters its false narratives by relying on unreliable, discredited and unnamed sources. Drawing heavily from news accounts, they say in 1970 he was arrested in Dulles Airport with 25 kilos of cocaine. Stunning first-person details abound in The Last Narc, provided by colorful characters led by Berrelleza no-nonsense . Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 8, 2021. For 30 days, American agents kicked down doors, said Russell. Spouse: NA He was 42 years old at the time and had worked in the DEA for more than 10 years. But as his team dug deeper into their investigation, they started to uncover more and more disturbing information. The 37-year-olds body was found dumped on a nearby ranch about a month later. Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2022. Kiki deserves justice. As former law enforcement officers, the two of them run SPI Group Inc. Thank you Mr. Berrellez for having the courage to Definitely worth purchasing. He was haunted by what he Hector is a hero, and a victim. Greed is the catalyst of evil. The killing was a result of Camerenas investigation that led to the Mexican Army destroying a marijuana plantation worth billions and he was also close to exposing that the CIA was working with the cartels. The person writing spoke of the first time he killed a man, shooting him twice in the stomach with a Good 1st person account. The research presented in this article is, in part, the result of a project funded by Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The fact that he lived to tell the tale is nothing short of miraculous. " I was glued. By the early 1980s, the DFS also had gained a reputation as practically a full-time partner of the Mexican drug lords. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. However, this is inconsistent with what's known about Felix Rodriguez's and Matta Ballesteros' histories. The Justice Department reportedly started re-examining the case in 2019, two years after a federal court tossed convictions against two suspects. Another witness warned Hector to stop digging. Barbara Baekeland- Shocking Story Of Incest, Adultery, Murder- Everything To Know, Lewis Hamiltons Siblings: Meet His Brother And Two Sisters, Who Is Nicolas Hamilton? Testimony in Camarena murder blocked by judge Rafeedie, Witness Says Drug Lord Told of Contra Arms, ByHENRY WEINSTEINJULY 7, 1990 12 AMTIMES STAFF WRITER. 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. At the offset, he stated that he did not believe in conspiracy theories and went on to paint a picture where Kiki was investigating CIA contract pilots around the time of his death. 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. Unknown Details And Net Worth Of Lewis Hamiltons Brother, Who Are Lewis Hamiltons Parents? There was a problem loading your book clubs. 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 DEA and Camarena had been utilizing a series of wiretaps to make sizeable drug busts inside Mexico. The one in Luxembourg had $4 billion and the other one had even more.. I can go on and on with this. [2][3][4], In the telling of Camarena's wife and former DEA agents Phil Jordan and Mike Holm, Camarena cost the cartels billions of dollars when his investigations led the Mexican Army to burn down Rancho Bfalo, a major marijuana plantation. View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. In a separate interview last Sept. 11, Harrison told the same two DEA agents that CIA operations personnel had stayed at the home of Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo, one of Mexico's other major drug kingpins and an ally of Caro Quintero. "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. 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. As a result, Camarena was murdered because he had discovered, and was about to expose, the conspiracy. He was recognized by .orange-text-color {font-weight:bold; color: #FE971E;}Enjoy features only possible in digital start reading right away, carry your library with you, adjust the font, create shareable notes and highlights, and more. Camarena by drug traffickers in Guadalajara, Mexico in which Hector In a statement to Fox News, the CIA vehemently denied the story, and previous investigations into Iran-Contra and CIA dealings in the region have not included the Guadalajara Cartel. I feel like we were all betrayed, he told The Post, referring to himself and his informants. Amazon has made a four-part docuseries about Kikis death, Hectors investigation, and the truth of what happened on that February day. 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. Definitely worth purchasing. Your story resonates with me. Three former Mexican police officers who claimed to have once worked as security guards for cartel kingpins told USA Today they informed U.S. investigators that a DEA official and CIA operative were present at meetings where Camarenas abduction was being discussed. I was glued. When he wrote he shot him twice in the stomach. Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, the DEA agent murdered in Mexico in 1985. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. How Will Ovidio's Arrest in Mexico Affect Sinaloa Cartel and the Fentanyl Trade? Hector managed to find three men who had witnessed Kikis torture and murder. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. Basically, justice is just that, a word. [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. On a cinematic and literary journey that started with Narcos: Mexico (Netflix) and O Plata O Plomo (by James Kuykendall) this is by far the most interesting, easy to read and "are you kidding me?! Were not saying it looks like a total cover-up, but were not not saying that either. But he talked to guys who hand-delivered the drugs., The Last Narc chronicles Berrellezs investigation. Word Wise helps you read harder books by explaining the most challenging words in the book. ", Harrison also said that "representatives of the DFS, which was the front for the training camp, were in fact acting in consort with major drug overlords to ensure a flow of narcotics through Mexico into the United States. In July 2020, Amazon released a docuseries, a real story called The Last Narcabout the death of Kiki Camarena at the age of 37. He was tortured over a 30-hour period and then murdered. He was the perfect fit, but his investigation uncovered a horrendous CIA link, which forced Hector to reconsider how to progress with the case. DEA Agent Hector Berrellez: $8 Billion never seized from Drug Lord who Killed DEA Agent Enrique KIKI Camarena. The money is used for black operations even Congress and the president are unaware of. Rodriguez, according to the independent counsel Lawrence Walsh's report on the Iran Contra affair, did not become a clandestine coordinator for Contra aid until 1985, well after Matta Ballesteros had begun working with the Guadalajara Cartel. It hasnt yet killed me, but it has debilitated me, seeping up and into my roots, poisoning me but keeping me alive. Buy this book. There is, however, little documentation to back up the claims of CIA involvement and the statements of the sources are not all rock solid. (AP). Matta Ballesteros was eventually sentenced to multiple life sentences in a US prison where he remains to this day. Hector took his leave as one of the most decorated DEA agents in the history of the organization, and has since then, become a highly sought after Certified Polygraph Examiner. This story has been shared 163,002 times. The whole case stinks, and if you don't step away you'll stink, too, Hector told LA Weekly. He survived gunfights, assassination attempts and a deep state conspiracy. During his trial, neither he nor his lawyers ever raised the CIA's possible connections to the cartel or the agency's possible role in the murder of Camarena. US intelligence present during DEA agent's torture All rights reserved. Date of birth: September 27, 1946 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. According to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sources and documents, the Mexican drug-trafficking cartel that kidnapped, tortured and murdered DEA agent Enrique Camarena in the central city of Guadalajara in February 1985 operated until then with virtual impunity -- not only because it was in league with Mexico's powerful Federal Security Directorate (DFS), but because it believed its activities were secretly sanctioned by the CIA. 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. The Last Narc is a docuseries about the 1985 death of U.S. DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. Thanks for reaching out. The series alleges a corruption so deep that Mexicos then-president, Miguel de la Madrid, received kilos of cocaine as gifts from traffickers. For a lawman, Berrellez has a colorful literary style, Arms like railroad ties shot out of his white tee, and a sense of humor to go with it probably more appreciated by lawmen or military. The boom is a very good reading. They also claimed the DEA official accepted cartel money. In 1985, after the Camarena murder, the government disbanded it in an effort to root out corruption and repair Mexico's image. 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, The Last Narc: A Memoir by the DEA's Most Notorious Agent. This memoir is excellent!! Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2022. [1][3], The Last Narc was produced by Eli Holzmann and Aaron Saidman. According to Charles Bowden and Molly Molloy's three-part story in the Medium publication Matter, Berrellez . He maintains that the CIA functioned. 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. Desperados: Latin Drug Lords, U.S. Lawmen, and the War America Can't Win, El Sicario: The Autobiography of a Mexican Assassin, Gringo: My Life on the Edge as an International Fugitive. [2], The docuseries shoots footage in the home where Camarena was tortured and murdered, now an elementary school. A year later he escaped from a Florida military holding facility and made his way back to Honduras where he began moving emeralds and drugs, among other illicit products. But suffice it to say that the U.S. government doesnt look good in any of the stories Hector tells. [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. Now, Berrellez stated up front that he had help writing this, and I figure whoever helped him doesnt know anything about guns or the Armys distinction between commissioned officers and combat medics. The most extensive database on organized crime in the Americas. I hope you continue to write. It counts among other with the testimonies of former DEA Hctor Berellez that led the investigation of Camarena's murder in operation Leyenda; Phil Jordan, former DEA Intelligence Director; Mike Holm, DEA resident agent in charge in Guadalajara when Camarena got kidnapped; and Manny Medrano, former assistant US Attorney and Lead Prosecutor in Camarena case. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. All About Drew Sidoras Husband And Cheating Claims, Who Is Willow Oakley? But when Berrellez took over the investigation in 1989, what he uncovered was a tangled web of treachery and deceit. Rodriguez has denied any involvement and claims that the allegations against him are the result of a Cuban intelligence disinformation campaign. In 1985, the colonial city was the base for most of the major narcotics traffickers. He had to pay a number of the informants $10,000 monthly. By April 1994, Berrellez was removed from the. Legal Statement. "The CIA was the source. As part of this far-fetched narrative, the Show falsely and despicably accuses Plaintiff Kuykendall of complicity in the murder of his close friend and fellow agent, the lawsuit read. 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. On Kindle Scribe, you can add sticky notes to take handwritten notes in supported book formats. DEA agent Hector Berrellez in The Last Narc. Shortly thereafter he became the key bridge between the Guadalajara Cartel and the Medellin Cartel.He bought large tracts of land and set up companies in Honduras, among them SETCO. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Was the Mexican cartel . 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. A real eye opener,brilliant read five stars the truth is far from what you're made to think ,I fully recommend the last narc. The AK 47 uses 30 round magazines. We want to sustain Latin Americas largest organized crime database, but in order to do so, we need resources. ", "What's on TV Saturday: 'Seeing America With Megan Rapinoe' and 'The Last Narc', "Documentary alleges US involvement in 1985 death of DEA agent", "US probing claims that CIA operative, DEA official betrayal led to murder of agent: report", "The Last Narc release date, cast, trailer: When does the real Narcos documentary air? On February 7, 1985, DEA agent Enrique Kiki Camerena was abducted. ^LS. 7 Shocking Facts About GigaChad, Chantal Cadieux: 10 Unknown Facts About Jean-Marc Valle's Ex-wife. Actually taping Kiki, Phil Jordan, former director of the DEA's El Paso Intelligence Center, told Fox News in 2013. The level of corruption he discovers in both Mexico and the US is shocking. [5][3] Russell has kept his location a secret, fearing for his safety. Matta Ballesteros' nexus with the Guadalajara Cartel eventually caught up with him. 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.. After the bombshell discovery, you might be wondering where Hector is at present. The Last Narc was supposed to be available to stream starting on Friday, May 15. In separate interviews with the El Paso Times, Jordan and Berrellez said they went public because they only recently confirmed allegations of the CIA involvement in the Camarena murder.
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