If you’ve heard of the Netflix show Narcos, then you must be aware of what the underworld of filthy rich men looks like. Indeed, we’ve all heard of spine-chilling stories about ruthless drug lords running their cocaine operations like any other legal business. The greatest irony is that some of them don’t even put a mask on to pretend they’re innocent. Let’s take Pablo Escobar as an example – he’s hands down one of the greatest outlaws of all time, who even laundered millions through his taxi company. Well, it seems like running a taxi company is one hell of a business, huh?

So compared to Pablo Escobar, these guys aren’t that different. Often described as monsters with limitless power, their notoriety makes it feel like there’s no point in waging another war against them. And while the world only knows a few notorious names, the same dark underworld brims with a whole lot of drug traffickers just as bad as Pablo Escobar. From Christopher Coke, aka Dudus to the self-proclaimed Boss of Bosses, today we take a look at some of the greatest drug lords in modern history.

15. Frank Lucas

Meet Superfly! No, it’s hardly a joke – Frank Lucas made a name for himself as a world-renowned heroin dealer and an organized crime boss. Rumor has it that Frank Lucas AKA “The Superfly” reigned supreme in Harlem during the early 70s. Obviously, this wasn’t enough for him. Later on, he got ahold of the American market, and eventually, he made it happen. In 1975, Frank Lucas’s house was raided and Frank the Superfly was thrown behind bars. Ultimately, he was accused of more than 100 drug-related crimes and was later sentenced to 70 years in prison.

14. Christopher Coke

Unlike Frank Lucas, whose biography sounds like a promising crime movie, Christopher Coke’s story was literally a great joke. Although he managed to get his “production” across seas and lands, Mr. Coke couldn’t take over the world, like Frank Lucas did. Rather, his greatest achievements remained in his homeland, Jamaica. Indeed, he used to be a respected leader of their ominous Shower Posse gang, but Mr. Dudus couldn’t escape his own fate either – he got detained due to a roadblock while dressed as a stylish lady. What a hilarious turn of events, right? It turns out that even the greatest drug lords aren’t that untouchable after all. At the time of his imprisonment, Christopher Coke’s net worth was rumored to be at least $30 billion.

13. Griselda Blanco

Known as “The Cocaine Godmother”, Griselda Blanco was in control of the drug trade through media coverage back in the day. What’s really curious is that Blanco was actually a woman who was just as wicked and ruthless as her rivals and allies, so to speak. But unlike many other narco bosses, including Pablo himself and his cartel in Medellin, Griselda Blanco lacked some of their problems. In Pablo’s world, Griselda Blanco would have been seen as a sexual being and a slave. But no, Griselda Blanco was one hell of a drug boss who was accountable for importing tons of pure cocaine per month in the USA.

12. Rafael Caro Quintero

Meet Rafael Caro Quintero – he’s one of the founders of the notorious Guadalajara cartel. Indeed, his legendary drug-related experiences earned him a place on our list today. It’s Rafael who was accused of kidnapping, torturing and killing the famous DEA agent, Kiki Camarena. Although he was captured and thrown behind bars for at least 40 years, Rafael Caro Quintero was released soon after his imprisonment. What’s really interesting is that he actually admitted to his shady cocaine operations which allegedly earned him at least $3 million dollars.

11. Arturo Beltrán Leyva

Ever heard of this narco leader? Widely known as the Boss of the Bosses in Mexico, Arturo was accountable for the wholesaling of all kinds of drugs, including heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine. In fact, he was the head of the snake that was responsible for the drug production and its transportation all over the place. Leyva was also the leader of the Mexican Beltrán Leyva Cartel. The pitiless gang was blamed for thousands of cases of human smuggling, money laundering,  gun-running, contract killing, and mistreatment of women.

10. Felix Mitchell AKA “The Cat”

Renown as Felix the Cat, Mitchell was the notorious leader of the 69 Mob. Although his nickname was borrowed from a cherished cartoon character, Felix Mitchell was nothing like it. Equally cruel and deranged, Mitchell was also tied to the country’s first-ever gigantic drug trafficking operation and illegal drug trade. Another curious fact is that Felix possessed an authentic boyish charm that made him quite popular with the prettiest girls in his town. And much like Pablo Escobar, he also appreciated the company of beautiful women. Surely, he couldn’t keep running from the law forever. Eventually, the ill-famed fugitive was captured and put behind bars to serve his life sentence.

9. Khun Sa

Ever heard of the so-called “Opium King”? Once upon a time, there was a warlord who started cultivating drug plantations right there in the middle of the jungle. Alongside his army that consisted of over 800 men, the merciless Burmese King started building his own empire brick by brick. Eventually, he got what he had in mind and his opium kingdom put an end to his rivals’ cocaine reign. Although he handed himself over to the Burmese police department, the government simply refused to extradite the warlord. Surely, he must have enjoyed the spoils of life until the day of his death.

8. Amando Carrillo Fuentes AKA “The Lord of the Skies”

Meet the ill-famed Amando Carillo Fuentes who was literally the lord of the skies. Today it may sound like a joke or another follow-up to the Lord of the Rings mania, but Amando definitely had Pablo’s temperament. Indeed, he was a respected businessman with the only exception that he had the entire DEA department wrapped around his little finger. What about his nickname “Lord of the Skies”. Well, Amando was thought to be a dangerous smuggler who imported 4 times more cocaine to America than any other drug lord. Furthermore, the reputable businessman used gigantic airplanes to carry out his worldwide operations.

7. Joaquín Guzmán Loera AKA “El Chapo Guzmán”

So who’s Joaquín Guzmán Loera, anyway? Well, his curious nickname definitely speaks volumes about his personality. But whatever we say,  Loera didn’t exactly rely on this comparison to carry out his rumored illegal drug trades. According to anonymous sources, Joaquin is alive and is currently running his cocaine operations in Mexico and across the globe. Rumor has it that the so-called El Chapo Guzman even spent the last decade hiding in caves. By the way, he escaped from jail and made it look like it was a piece of cake. He just stole a laundry cart and exited prison like he did nothing at all. Isn’t that a smart move?

6. Zhenli Ye Gon

Born on January 31, Zhenli Ye Gon is an honored public figure of Chinese origin whose biography offers some dark pages too. He may be a representative of UPCM (Unimed Pharm Chem México), but he was also tied to the notorious Sinaloa Cartel. As you can guess, the Sinaloa Cartel made him a little less honorable. In fact, Zhenli Ye Gon was reportedly responsible for the murder of two federal agents in Mexico. Also, the Chinese drug lord had no trouble getting a Mexican citizenship. So according to rumors, a great percentage of Zhenli’s fortune found its way to Las Vegas. After his imprisonment, his home was also raided by the local authorities – they came across over $180 million in cold hard cash.

5. Klaas Bruinsma

Known as De Lange, Bruinsma was another notorious drug lord whose drug-related operations made him famous, but not in a good way. There are many interesting stories about his hot-tempered personality and manners. For example, he was also dubbed “De Lange” (The Tall), and “De Dominee” (The Minister) based on his domineering character. Also, the notorious Klaas Bruinsma was known as a well-read man who often lectured his men. The story doesn’t stop here: one of his former bodyguards allegedly gave away some curious details about Klass and his illegal business.  Surely, it didn’t take long before his family denied the bodyguard’s statement. But ultimately, Klaas fell into police hands and was shot to death by a police officer.

4. Ismael Zambada García

When thinking about him, one thing is for certain: Ismael Zambada Garcia is anything but an ordinary Mexican with a wife and a few cute kids. In his world, you just can’t live a normal life even if you want to. Ismael is definitely the right person who can totally prove it.  Not only was he ranked the top drug smuggler in Mexico, but Ismael’s limitless power has allegedly grown even more since the death of his fellow criminals. Whatever you think of him, Ismael Zambada Garcia is surely more than that. Even Mexico’s top anti-drug prosecutor acknowledged him as one of the most wanted and dangerous drug smugglers in Mexico and throughout the world.

3. Manuel Noriega

Normally we expect these most wanted fugitives to be hunted down by loyal and honest police officers. Well, it’s not always like this and the former police officer, Manuel Noriega, totally proves it. All of this instantly makes us think of Pablo Escobar too – he had the cops in his back pocket. Also, he enjoyed messing around with them while running his drug operations. Manuel Noriega, however, is another story. In fact, he was deeply involved in drug trafficking all over the place. He was not a trustworthy cop, he was with the enemy. His motto was “guns-for-drugs” so he often provided safe havens for drug cartel officials. Well, it turns out that Manuel was just as notorious as the other dangerous guys on this list.

2. Osiel Cárdenas Guillén

Meet Oseil Guillen – the former mechanic who made one hell of a fortune thanks to his good ties with the Gulf Cartel. He might have started out as an ignorant guy and a drug spotter, but he quickly moved up the hierarchy. Eventually, he reached the top and stripped his bosses of their leadership. This didn’t go unnoticed by his amigos though – they nicknamed him El Mata Amigos which literally translates as “the friend-killer”. Later on, his notoriety led to his incarceration but it didn’t exactly stop him from running his day-to-day drug operations. Today he’s still considered one of the most notorious drug lords who literally had the world in his back pocket.

1. Pablo Escobar

Finally, we’ve got Pablo Escobar on our list too – his unbelievable cocaine operations even inspired the creation of the Netflix’s hit TV series Narcos. Well, we know that there’s a good chance that some of the events in the show don’t really reflect the truth at all. But anyway, it’s still really curious to get an idea of what his underworld looked like. Allegedly, he committed more crimes than you can ever imagine as he didn’t blink twice before blowing up airplanes either. With a rumoured fortune of more than $30 billion, the merciless drug lord is said to have controlled at least 1/4 of the world’s cocaine market.

Sources used: telegraph.co.uk, news.vice.com, listverse.com