From Miami's Cocaine-Fueled Chaos to Colombia: His DEA Journey

 

West Palm Beach, Fl - Chris Feistl's law enforcement career was never going to be ordinary. Starting as a part-time police officer on the Jersey Shore, he eventually found himself in the midst of one of the most brutal chapters in law enforcement history. His journey took him from the violent streets of Miami in the 1980s to the jungles of Colombia in the 1990s, where he played a key role in dismantling the notorious Cali Cartel.

Chris is a guest and shares his story on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, for free on their website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most major podcast platforms.

The Miami Years: Ground Zero for the Cocaine Epidemic

Feistl's first major assignment with the DEA was in Miami, a city ravaged by the cocaine epidemic. "Miami was chaos during those years," he recalls. "The violence from the Cocaine Cowboys was unlike anything most Americans could imagine. We were in the middle of a war." 

The city was plagued by bloody street battles and infamous shootouts, including the brazen daytime attack on a liquor store at Dadeland Mall in 1979. Feistl describes Miami as the "Wild West," where every arrest could turn into a gunfight.

Taking on the Cali Cartel

Feistl's investigations in Miami often led back to Colombia, and by the early 1990s, his mission shifted south. He arrived in Colombia just after Pablo Escobar's death and turned his attention to the Cali Cartel, a sophisticated organization that operated with a corporate structure. "The Cali Cartel was unlike Escobar's Medellín Cartel," Feistl notes. "They operated with independent cells reporting to managers, making them harder to infiltrate." At its peak, the Cali Cartel controlled over 80% of the world's cocaine market, earning them the title of "the most powerful criminal organization in the world" from former DEA Administrator Robert Bonner ¹ ².

Dismantling the Cartel

Feistl worked alongside fellow agent David Mitchell as part of a DEA-Colombian task force, tracking cartel leaders and building cases against them. "Our mission was clear: we had to take them down," Feistl says. Years of work culminated in the arrests of the cartel's top leaders, effectively dismantling the organization. Feistl's role earned him the DEA's Administrator's Award of Honor and multiple Distinguished Service medals from the Colombian government.

Legacy and Impact

Feistl's work has had a lasting impact beyond law enforcement circles. He co-authored the book "After Escobar: Taking Down the Notorious Cali Godfathers and the Biggest Drug Cartel in History" and has been featured in various documentaries and podcasts, including Netflix's Narcos and Drug Lords: The Cali Cartel. Today, Feistl continues to share his experiences on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, connecting with audiences worldwide.

Reflecting on a Lifetime of Service

After 26 years with the DEA, Feistl retired in 2014 as Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division. Reflecting on his time in Miami and Colombia, he points to the human cost behind the headlines. "We were fighting something much bigger than ourselves," he says. "But if our work saved lives and slowed the violence, then it was worth it." Feistl's journey serves as a reminder of the courage required to face the darkest chapters of modern history.

He shares his story on the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast, for free on their website, also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and most major podcast platforms.

Attributions

Narcos Netflix

All That Is Interesting

Wikipedia

After Escobar

Wikipedia

 




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