Ever wonder where cocaine came from in the 1970s and early 1980s? Well there was a man behind it (including a couple others), but we’re just going to focus on this one man, George Jung. He was an ordinary man, just like any other person in the world. His occupation though was…unique, a moon curser or more commonly known as a smuggler. Lets just say that George Jung’s life was very interesting, from earlier on in his existence, to his involvement in the Medellin Cartel, and later on his incarceration.
Now earlier on in his life everything was much simpler. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Frederick Jung and Ermine Jung, but was raised in Weymouth. Though I’m sure his parents loved him they didn’t seem to give him much guidance especially in the choices that he made. When George grew older he eventually moved to California where he quickly began using and selling Marijuana. It was definitely one of the highest points in his life. People began calling him Boston George and everyone knew to come to him if they wanted Marijuana. His friends helped him along the way with his girlfriend helping to transport it back east when he found out how much more money he would gain because of the higher demand there. This was just the beginning to George Jung’s roller coaster life in smuggling.
The Medellin Cartel (which was an organized network of drug suppliers and smugglers provided about eighty-five percent of cocaine in the U.S.) played a huge part in Jung’s story. His cellmate Carlos Lehder at a federal prison in Danbury, Connecticut first introduced him to it and to Cocaine. This is where smuggling for him really started to gain speed. He soon began working with Pablo Escobar, one of the biggest drug lords in history. George was getting money from left and right. His mom and dad knew what he was partaking in and they were most likely disappointed in him and probably concerned for his well-being. A while after joining the Medellin Cartel and showing obvious success in his job George was betrayed. Carlos Lehder deceived him by stealing his connection in California and went off on his own completely leaving George behind in the dust, their friendship ended at that point. George began to drift away from the business focusing on issues that were more important to him, like his wife and daughter.
Lastly we come to George Jung’s incarceration. What led up to this was probably one of the lowest points in his life. He had one more smuggling operation with some of his old friends, but unfortunately they set him up. All of them turned out to be working with the FBI and the DEA and George was sentenced to 60-years in prison. That’s not even the worst part of what happened because of that final job of his. The worst part was that he left behind a daughter that was really counting on him to be there for her. At that point he was divorced from his wife. There is now a movie about George Jung’s entire life called Blow. It recounts all the major events that happened to him and really gives you a look at the man behind the smuggler.
"Marijuana... That's not a drug, that's a plant."-Arnold Schwarzenegger. This is probably a quote that would sum up most of George Jung’s decisions, but he was more than just a smuggler, a drug dealer, and a moon curser. He was also a man with feelings and a family that he loved. From early on in his life, to his involvement in the Medellin Cartel, and his current incarceration he has lived a life that people should be aware of. Hopefully people don’t just see him as an infamous drug trafficker, but as a human being.