The rise of his cocaine-trafficking organisation, the Medellin cartel, triggered a period of mayhem unprecedented even by the standards of Colombia’s modern history. There are passages in this biography written by Pablo’s brother and chief accountant, Roberto, that are jaw-dropping, especially when detailing the sheer ingenuity required in smuggling hundreds of tons annually into America and Europe. At first, simply packing the drug in aircraft tyres was effective. But as the cocaine craze began to grip the nightclubs of New York, Miami and LA, the inventiveness of the Medellin cartel reached new heights.  Read more about the book here. Semana International delivers news from Colombia in English. Find more at our home.