What’s a successful, illegal drug business without money laundering? Drugs ship out… cash avalanches in. This is the episode of a Taste of Vice Podcast, when I your host, Jonas Sears discusses the invasion of foreign gangsters during the Mariel Boatlift in 1980 - some of whom referred to members of his unit as “Los Perros Locos” (the mad dogs). He also talks about a money laundering investigation and corruption case that his outfit investigated while partnering with the effective Federal task force, Operation Greenback. As smuggling boss, Frank Lopez told “Marielito“ Tony Montana in Brian de Palma’s film, Scarface…“You're gonna move up fast. And you'll find out your biggest problem is not bringing in the stuff, but what to do with all the f*cking cash!”

Content note: The accounts in this podcast are based on the creator’s personal experiences as a South Florida undercover cop - (“The Real Miami Vice” as described in GQ magazine and news reports, and a “perro loco” as reported in Readers Digest) - as well as intel available to him and historical accounts related to his investigations. Music selections were digitally produced - some are pre-AI technology in studio with early generation keyboard. Others were AI produced. Art is AI produced. Tracks were curated, selected, mixed and narrated by the content creator.