Gustavo Falcon, the last original “Cocaine Cowboy” drug dealer, was arrested in Kissimmee, Florida, after 26 years on the run. Falcon is said to have smuggled roughly $2 billion worth of cocaine in his drug trafficking days.
What Happened?
Falcon was once one of the richest drug dealers in American history. He was arrested by US Marshals in Kissimmee, Florida, while riding bikes with his wife. Over the years, rumors suggested that he had feld to Cuba.
Gustavo, along with his brother Augusto “Willy” Falcon and accomplice Salvador “Sal” Malgluta, comprised the original Cocaine Cowboys in the 1980s. The trio were infamous playboy drug deals who were known for racing speedboats, purchasing mansions and traveling in private jets.
After dropping out of high school to move drugs, the group smuggled at least $2 billion worth of cocaine into the United States and became one of the five largest drug dealing networks in U.S. history.
Magluta and Willy would end up behind bars in federal prison, but Gustavo managed to evade capture for decades.
NBC Miami reported that Gustavo was apprehended by a team of U.S. Marshals from Miami. The 55-year-old was booked at the Orange County Jail at 6:24 P.M. ET on Wednesday.
“He is the last of the ‘Cocaine Cowboys,’ Barry Golden, a spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Office in Miami, told the Miami Herald.
Federal officials said that Gustavo had been using a fake driver’s licenses since 1997. He also had fake licenses for his wife, Amelia, and children, who are all now in their 30s, according to authorities. Golden said the couple were known as Luis Reiss and Maria Reiss.
Police caught a break in the case when Gustavo was involved in a car accident and used his fake ID with the false Miami address.
Who Is Gustavo Falcon?
Gustavo Falcon, 55, is the last of the three original Cocaine Cowboys, who smuggled more than 75 tons, or $2 billion worth of cocaine into the country.
Since 1999, Gustavo and his family had been living in the Orlando area, despite rumors that he fled the country to Cuba, Mexico or Colombia.
“We figured this all out a month ago,” Golden said. “We pulled their drivers’ licenses and saw it was the same Gustavo Falcon.”
Gustavo did not resist at all during his arrest and even confessed to his real identity, authorities said.
In the 1980s, the two brothers and Magluta were well-known figures in the local speedboat racing circles and could often be seen racing their powerful boats in South Florida.
