Episode
#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
2:15:54
Published: Sun Jul 11 2021
Description
Roger Reaves is one of the most prolific drug smugglers in history. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Noom: https://trynoom.com/lex - Allform: https://allform.com/lex to get 20% off - ExpressVPN: https://expressvpn.com/lexpod and use code LexPod to get 3 months free - Four Sigmatic: https://foursigmatic.com/lex and use code LexPod to get up to 60% off - Eight Sleep: https://www.eightsleep.com/lex and use code LEX to get special savings EPISODE LINKS: Smuggler (book): https://amzn.to/3xydszD PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips SUPPORT & CONNECT: - Check out the sponsors above, it's the best way to support this podcast - Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman - Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman - Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman OUTLINE: Here's the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. (00:00) - Introduction (09:56) - Money (12:17) - Pablo Escobar (19:30) - Jorge Ochoa (27:05) - First time (31:51) - Landing an airplane on the highway (34:41) - Barry Seal (45:05) - Mena, Arkansas (49:58) - Assassination of Barry Seal (1:03:10) - American Made (1:07:22) - Blow (1:09:28) - Story of torture in a Mexican prison (1:14:08) - Getting shot down (1:27:51) - Prison (1:41:34) - Reflections on a life of crime (1:46:51) - Advice for young people (1:49:49) - Love (2:03:09) - Death (2:05:55) - Meaning of life (2:09:58) - Poem
Chapters
Despite society labeling drug criminals as bad humans, there are individuals in power and influence who have committed equal or worse harm who are not given the same label, raising questions of who decides the definition of a "bad man".
00:00 - 03:41 (03:41)
Summary
Despite society labeling drug criminals as bad humans, there are individuals in power and influence who have committed equal or worse harm who are not given the same label, raising questions of who decides the definition of a "bad man". Meanwhile, there are 500,000 individuals imprisoned for drug-related offenses and 1.1 million on probation and parole.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this podcast, the speaker starts with an ad for Four Sigmatic's mushroom coffee bundles offering up to 40% off and free shipping.
03:42 - 10:15 (06:32)
Summary
In this podcast, the speaker starts with an ad for Four Sigmatic's mushroom coffee bundles offering up to 40% off and free shipping. Later, he talks about the feeling of having a cold bed waiting for you, controlled by an app, and muses about the never-ending need for money.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker recalls his experience meeting Jorge Ochoa in Medellin, where they discussed drug trafficking and the amount of money involved in the trade.
10:15 - 14:29 (04:13)
Summary
The speaker recalls his experience meeting Jorge Ochoa in Medellin, where they discussed drug trafficking and the amount of money involved in the trade.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This podcast explores why drug cartels are able to maintain trust and honesty within their own moral system despite the illegal and dangerous nature of their business.
14:29 - 21:37 (07:07)
Summary
This podcast explores why drug cartels are able to maintain trust and honesty within their own moral system despite the illegal and dangerous nature of their business.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The combination of tension, money, power, beautiful women, and violence within the drug trade may seem to make betrayal commonplace, but surprisingly, people become accustomed to whatever level of money they have.
21:37 - 25:20 (03:43)
Summary
The combination of tension, money, power, beautiful women, and violence within the drug trade may seem to make betrayal commonplace, but surprisingly, people become accustomed to whatever level of money they have. Stories of kidnapping and escapes from the DEA are just a few examples of the dangers involved.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker describes his experience of traveling to an old town that looked like Bible times and the sense of protection he felt while staying there.
25:20 - 28:20 (03:00)
Summary
The speaker describes his experience of traveling to an old town that looked like Bible times and the sense of protection he felt while staying there.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
This podcast transcript is about a pilot explaining his adventures in the air, including risky landings on highways and flying in and out of different terrains.
28:21 - 34:48 (06:27)
Summary
This podcast transcript is about a pilot explaining his adventures in the air, including risky landings on highways and flying in and out of different terrains.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker recounts a chance encounter with a man named Barry C who had just been released from prison, as they waited to board an airplane.
34:48 - 39:30 (04:42)
Summary
The speaker recounts a chance encounter with a man named Barry C who had just been released from prison, as they waited to board an airplane. Upon disembarking, Barry was met with emotional reunions with his family.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
A man recounts the time he gave someone a million dollars in cash, and the precautions he took to ensure its safety.
39:30 - 42:57 (03:26)
Summary
A man recounts the time he gave someone a million dollars in cash, and the precautions he took to ensure its safety.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker tells a story of a man who collected money for him and bribed officials in Menarquinsaw in return for protection against being caught for illegal activity, with the man charging $50,000 every time his wheels touched the ground.
42:57 - 49:03 (06:05)
Summary
The speaker tells a story of a man who collected money for him and bribed officials in Menarquinsaw in return for protection against being caught for illegal activity, with the man charging $50,000 every time his wheels touched the ground.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The CIA allegedly used Barry Seal to transport arms to Central America and receive cocaine as payment, which contributed to the crack cocaine epidemic.
49:03 - 54:14 (05:10)
Summary
The CIA allegedly used Barry Seal to transport arms to Central America and receive cocaine as payment, which contributed to the crack cocaine epidemic. Michael Levine's book, The Big White Lie, further delves into the CIA's involvement in the controversial issue.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Barry Seal had a run-in with the DEA who was investigating him for drug smuggling, and he ultimately flew to Washington to try to get the charges dismissed, but he was unsuccessful.
54:14 - 58:07 (03:52)
Summary
Barry Seal had a run-in with the DEA who was investigating him for drug smuggling, and he ultimately flew to Washington to try to get the charges dismissed, but he was unsuccessful.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
A man recalls a conversation with Barry where he warned him about his safety, but Barry remained confident about not being killed.
58:07 - 1:03:19 (05:12)
Summary
A man recalls a conversation with Barry where he warned him about his safety, but Barry remained confident about not being killed.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The podcast explores the lack of depth in telling the story of a father-son relationship in aviation and how it could have been improved to create a more memorable narrative.
1:03:21 - 1:09:21 (06:00)
Summary
The podcast explores the lack of depth in telling the story of a father-son relationship in aviation and how it could have been improved to create a more memorable narrative. The central theme revolves around missed opportunities for emotional depth and exploration of consequential topics, such as legacy and regret.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker recounts a story of being taken out of a nice hotel room completely naked and put into a jail cell with other criminals for 13 days, during which time he had warning signs in his stomach and resorted to smoking a bunch of marijuana.
1:09:21 - 1:15:04 (05:42)
Summary
The speaker recounts a story of being taken out of a nice hotel room completely naked and put into a jail cell with other criminals for 13 days, during which time he had warning signs in his stomach and resorted to smoking a bunch of marijuana.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The transcript is unintelligible and does not provide a coherent summary of the podcast episode.
1:15:04 - 1:17:40 (02:36)
Summary
The transcript is unintelligible and does not provide a coherent summary of the podcast episode.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker reminisces about seeing a little man plowing with a little horse and little ox, and how he kept a gun taped to the top of his radio when flying planes.
1:17:41 - 1:19:54 (02:13)
Summary
The speaker reminisces about seeing a little man plowing with a little horse and little ox, and how he kept a gun taped to the top of his radio when flying planes.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
An adventurer shares his wild story of landing in a gorilla infested area and trying to escape, which led him to a huge pasture with a truck full of corn.
1:19:54 - 1:27:43 (07:48)
Summary
An adventurer shares his wild story of landing in a gorilla infested area and trying to escape, which led him to a huge pasture with a truck full of corn.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker describes his encounter with a woman who got into an accident and started yelling at him while he was passing by, and how he saw a guard with a gun at a nearby prison.
1:27:43 - 1:33:32 (05:49)
Summary
The speaker describes his encounter with a woman who got into an accident and started yelling at him while he was passing by, and how he saw a guard with a gun at a nearby prison.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
In this podcast, the speaker talks about the importance of finding meaning and humanity in life, especially during difficult times, and how writing about personal experiences can help achieve that.
1:33:32 - 1:37:53 (04:21)
Summary
In this podcast, the speaker talks about the importance of finding meaning and humanity in life, especially during difficult times, and how writing about personal experiences can help achieve that. The example of Shawshank Redemption is also discussed.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker shares his experience of being in prison and how he got parole before being transferred to Terminal Island, where he faced some trouble.
1:37:53 - 1:41:39 (03:45)
Summary
The speaker shares his experience of being in prison and how he got parole before being transferred to Terminal Island, where he faced some trouble.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker highlights the misconception that drugs cause more deaths than tobacco when in fact, tobacco kills 500,000 people a year in America and 6 million suffer from debilitating diseases due to tobacco, whereas all drugs combined only result in 10-15,000 deaths by overdose, 60% of which are pharmaceutical.
1:41:39 - 1:45:22 (03:42)
Summary
The speaker highlights the misconception that drugs cause more deaths than tobacco when in fact, tobacco kills 500,000 people a year in America and 6 million suffer from debilitating diseases due to tobacco, whereas all drugs combined only result in 10-15,000 deaths by overdose, 60% of which are pharmaceutical.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
Tommy Chong shares the importance of forgiveness, making up before going to sleep, and learning a trade while in prison to find love and purpose.
1:45:22 - 1:49:40 (04:18)
Summary
Tommy Chong shares the importance of forgiveness, making up before going to sleep, and learning a trade while in prison to find love and purpose.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker reflects on how her faith and communication with her partner helped her navigate through marriage, which she initially did not want, but ultimately found to be rewarding.
1:49:40 - 1:53:20 (03:40)
Summary
The speaker reflects on how her faith and communication with her partner helped her navigate through marriage, which she initially did not want, but ultimately found to be rewarding.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker talks about how they reunited with a friend whom they missed physically but found they were still strong in spirit.
1:53:20 - 1:58:05 (04:45)
Summary
The speaker talks about how they reunited with a friend whom they missed physically but found they were still strong in spirit. They also discuss the consequences of investing money illegally and how the repercussions can be long-lasting.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker shares a conversation about working for the fire department and his belief that love ignites when meeting someone for the first time and continues to burn.
1:58:05 - 2:01:18 (03:12)
Summary
The speaker shares a conversation about working for the fire department and his belief that love ignites when meeting someone for the first time and continues to burn.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker discusses his thoughts on mortality and the importance of cherishing time with loved ones.
2:01:18 - 2:04:17 (02:58)
Summary
The speaker discusses his thoughts on mortality and the importance of cherishing time with loved ones.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker shares his out of body experience and highlights the importance of embracing one's uniqueness and allowing it to flourish, even from childhood.
2:04:17 - 2:07:29 (03:12)
Summary
The speaker shares his out of body experience and highlights the importance of embracing one's uniqueness and allowing it to flourish, even from childhood.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker nonchalantly reflects on the hypocritical nature of society while briefly mentioning the potential occurrence of out-of-body experiences.
2:07:29 - 2:11:04 (03:34)
Summary
The speaker nonchalantly reflects on the hypocritical nature of society while briefly mentioning the potential occurrence of out-of-body experiences. He also casually mentions having served an 11-year sentence for a parole violation.
Episode#199 – Roger Reaves: Smuggling Drugs for Pablo Escobar and the Medellin Cartel
PodcastLex Fridman Podcast
The speaker expresses gratitude for their father's unwavering support, leadership, and sense of adventure.
2:11:06 - 2:15:43 (04:37)
Summary
The speaker expresses gratitude for their father's unwavering support, leadership, and sense of adventure. They express confidence in their father's ability to overcome any obstacle and a sense of joy thinking of him coming home from his travels.