13 Facts About Cali Cartel

Cali Cartel was a drug cartel based in southern Colombia, around the city of Cali and the Valle del Cauca Department.

Cali Cartel was formed by the Rodriguez Orejuela brothers and Santacruz, all coming from what is described as a higher social background than most other traffickers of the time.

Cali Cartel leadership comprised members Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela, Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela, Jose Santacruz Londono and Helmer Herrera.

The Cali Cartel operated as a tight group of independent criminal organizations, as opposed to the Medellins' centralised structure under leader Pablo Escobar.

Cali Cartel eventually became "The biggest, most powerful crime syndicate we've ever known", according to then DEA chief Thomas Constantine.

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Cali Cartel would become known for its innovations in trafficking and production, by moving its refining operations out of Colombia to Peru and Bolivia, as well as for pioneering new trafficking routes through Panama.

Cali Cartel worked with Mark McFarlin and Jim Campbell, and was charged by United States authorities with smuggling 22 tons of Cali Cartel cocaine from 1987 to 1991 known as Operation North.

Cali Cartel supplied the cocaine and the Camorra handled distribution across Europe.

In 1996, it was believed the Cali Cartel was grossing $7 billion in annual revenue from the US alone.

One of the first instances of the Cali Cartel's laundering operations came when Gilberto Rodriguez Orejuela was able to secure the position of Chairman of the Board of Banco de Trabajadores.

Cali Cartel members were permitted, through their affiliation with Gilberto, to overdraft accounts and take out loans without repayment.

The Cali Cartel had a connection in El Salvador, a general of El Salvador's military who illegally sold them four 500-pound bombs for about half a million dollars.

Cali Cartel designed and set up a large hidden radio network across the city allowing members to communicate wherever they were.