Amado Carrillo Fuentes

Known as “El Señor de los Cielos” (“The Lord of the Skies”) for pioneering the use of Boeing 727 jets to transport cocaine from Colombia. At his peak, he reportedly moved $25 billion worth of cocaine through the Ciudad Juárez–El Paso corridor, making the Juárez Cartel one of the most powerful trafficking organizations in the world.

He died on July 4, 1997, during plastic surgery intended to alter his appearance — officially from complications, though foul play was widely suspected. Two of the surgeons were later found dead, encased in concrete inside oil drums. His death triggered a violent succession struggle, and leadership passed to his brother Vicente Carrillo Fuentes.