When Rodents Ate Billions In Drug Money
The Problem Of Too Much Cash: Pablo Escobar's Medellin Cartel faced an unusual problem during the height of their operations in the 1980s and early 1990s. The organization made so much money from cocaine trafficking that they could not spend it fast enough or store it properly. According to Roberto Escobar, who served as the cartel's chief accountant and was Pablo's brother, the cartel earned approximately $420 million every week at their peak. This massive cash flow created serious logistical challenges because the money came in physical bills that needed to be stored somewhere safe from law enforcement. The cartel had to hide billions of dollars in various locations throughout Colombia, which led to unexpected losses from sources most businesses never worry about.