Michael S. Vigil - DEAL: In a deadly game of working undercover, DEA Special Agent Michael S. Vigil recounts standing face to face with treacherous drug lords who began their conversation with �If you are a federal

DEAL

IN A DEADLY GAME OF WORKING UNDERCOVER,
DEA SPECIAL AGENT MICHAEL VIGIL RECOUNTS
STANDING FACE TO FACE WITH TREACHEROUS DRUG
LORDS WHO BEGAN THEIR CONVERSATION WITH IF
YOU ARE A SPECIAL AGENT WE WILL KILL YOU.

Copyright 2014 Michael S. Vigil.

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ISBN: 978-1-4917-3519-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-3521-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-3520-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014909231

iUniverse rev. date: 06/24/2014

Contents

This book is dedicated to my parents, Alice and Sam, whose tremendous sacrifices and love made this a better world for my sisters and me. Their teachings of compassion, dedication, dignity, justice, and courage became indelible traits in my life. They provided us with the education required to succeed in a highly competitive world. They are in my daily thoughts and deep in my heart.

I also dedicate this book to my sisters, Anita and Mona, for all their love and support.

And to my niece Ursula, who has made me proud with her accomplishments and energy. She is a shining star in my life. I admire and love her unconditionally.

The book is also in loving memory of my niece Nicole, who was taken early in life.

For my grandchildren, Luke Edward and Sarah Claire Haynie, who make life worth living and whose love I will treasure forever.

To my wife, Suzanne, whose love and support have been key to my life and accomplishments.

It is a distinct privilege to have Colombian National Police General (Ret.) Leonardo Gallego Castrill n write the foreword to my book. He is a legendary figure in the history of Colombia and the greatest general to come from the ranks of the Colombian National Police. He was responsible for many of the most significant counterdrug operations ever conducted in Colombia. His leadership and operational abilities are beyond reproach. I have always considered him a brother, and I will always treasure his friendship.

During his tenure as commander of the world renowned DANTI (Anti-Narcotics Police) he played a key role in the dismantling of the Medellin, Cali, and Valle del Norte cartels, which were the largest and most powerful in the world. He has served in other command positions to include anti-terrorism and intelligence for more than twenty-five years. General Gallego is one of the most highly decorated officers of the Colombian National Police. He holds awards and decorations from law-enforcement and military organizations of the United States and other countries around the globe.

Michael Vigil

It was an honor to work with Mike Vigil during the most difficult and violent years in the history of Colombia. It was a time when the brutal drug-trafficking organizations posed a significant threat to my country and also the United States. Many individuals were tortured and murdered for simply denouncing the drug cartels in mere conversations with other individuals. The traffickers employed vicious killers, and they could order the death of anyone perceived as a threat to their illicit business, with less fanfare than ordering a glass of aguardiente . These notorious assassins charged as little as fifty US dollars for taking a human life. It was sometimes impossible to avoid these assassins, since they pursued their victims on motorcycles and maneuvered through heavy traffic until they were able to direct volleys of high-velocity bullets at their human targets. Blood flowed through the streets, and no one was safe, especially officials of the Colombian National Police and our colleagues from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Mike was one of the most extraordinary and courageous warriors, who always led from the front and never from the rear. He was always the first one through the door on raids, which is quite a risk, since one never knows what is waiting on the other side. Mike was willing to take those risks, which could have easily gotten him killed, in order to protect others from harm. He knows the face of death full well and never once flinched, despite knowing that he could be drawing his last breath.

I worked closely with Mike, and together, we seized tons of cocaine and other illicit drugs. Additionally, we arrested thousands of drug traffickers, many of them cartel heads who were brought to justice in my country or the United States. Our struggle was horrific, and it can only be described as one with no quarter asked for and none given. It was one of triumph and great sacrifice. We lost many of our close friends to the random and senseless violence generated by narcoterrorists. We witnessed more violence than most individuals witness in a hundred lifetimes, but we continued to pursue the drug traffickers with great vigor, despite the constant threats.

Mike was responsible for the complex operation that resulted in the capture of Juan Ramn Matta-Ballesteros in Cartagena, Colombia. Matta was a major cocaine trafficker from Honduras who was married to Nancy Vasquez, a Colombian woman from Cali. Matta was responsible for smuggling tons of cocaine into the United States each year and was also the source of supply to the most prolific and deadly traffickers operating in Mexico. He was involved in the killing of DEA Agent Kiki Camarena in Guadalajara. Mike meticulously planned and executed the operation that led to his capture. Matta offered several millions of dollars to the agents to buy his freedom, but he ultimately knew his opulent lifestyle was coming to an end.

Mike is truly a brilliant tactician, and he was able to initiate numerous multinational operations, which had significant impact on the international drug trade and facilitated the sharing of information between countries. These operations were only made possible because of the magnificent leadership skills possessed by Mike and [his] army of individuals who were willing to follow him into the fires of hell with no hesitation. During the annual International Drug Enforcement Conferences (IDEC), I watched in awe the great deference and respect given to Mike by all of the directors of national police agencies from around the world. They depended on his leadership and guidance on operational matters. The representatives from the various countries actually put aside decades and even centuries of political conflict if Mike intervened and requested their participation in large operations. He was a formidable force of great strength that inspired others in overcoming insurmountable obstacles.

Mike has always had the courage to stand alone in the face of adversity, the tenacity to never succumb to pressure, and the patience to keep fighting against all odds until the struggle is won. He refuses to accept defeat, and this defines his leadership style. His character is also defined by humility and the ability to make decisions under fire. Mike never demanded respect, but earned it in the jungles of Latin America and the dark alleys of metropolitan areas. I have heard his colleagues refer to him as a wartime general, and he most definitely is worthy of the title. He bears the scars of many violent and protracted struggles against the treacherous drug cartels. His courage exceeded normal human boundaries, and it became psychologically intoxicating to his subordinates who, as a result, pushed themselves above and beyond the accomplishments that they believed themselves capable of reaching. Mike is a great hero in my country and in the United States. He has achieved what others cannot envision.