Life of crime

Inside the world of Carlos Lehder, the Hitler-obsessed billionaire drug smuggler who turned on cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar

PABLO Escobar is one of the most notorious Colombian cocaine kingpins, but he was just one member of the infamous Medellin cartel.

Netflix series Narcos follows his rise and fall, and also includes some insights into another member of the crew - Carlos Lehder Rivas.

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Carlos Lehder was part of the Medellin cartel and known for having wild partiesCredit: Getty Images

It may seem impossible, but Lehder - as he is best known's - story is even more fascinating than that of 'The King of Cocaine' Escobar.

Lehder was born in Colombia in 1949, to a German engineer dad and a mum who was a schoolteacher.

He spent the majority of his childhood in Colombia, eventually moving to New York when he was 15 after his parents split up.

Juan Riedinger is seen starring as Lehder in Netflix show NarcosCredit: Netflix

It's thought to be then that he first got mixed up in crime.

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He began dealing marijuana and stolen cars, moving the vehicles between America and Canada.

That didn't last long though and he was arrested for his involvement in the car ring in 1973, resulting in a prison term.

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This proved to be a turning point for Lehder, but probably not in the way you're thinking.

During his time in federal prison in Connecticut he shared a cell with George Jung, the notorious drugs smuggler whose story was turned into 2001 movie Blow starring Johnny Depp.

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this meeting was "like destiny".

Soon they were running a smuggling operation that moved cocaine between countries.

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