"Then they brought in their former Spanish teacher, Lou Villar, for his language abilities, and the operation exploded. Within a few years, the Coronado Company was the largest smuggling outfit on the West Coast. Over ten years, they would assemble a $100 million empire, importing more than ninety tons of product from Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, and Thailand in what the DEA would call the most sophisticated operation of its kind."
I wouldn't compare it to real life Breaking Bad, but it is an interesting story nonetheless. I think the main reason for these guys' success was the fact that the DEA had just been created and they took advantage of a large unchecked border and coastline. Ballsy to swim with a load. Ballsy and clever indeed. These guys wouldn't be able to pull off what they did then today. Not on such a scale.
This is a fascinating story - One I've never heard tell of before! Thanks for sharing with me.