The trade drove a surge in violent crime, with Miami’s murder rate soaring: 349 murders in 1979, 573 in 1980, and 621 in 1981. By 1981, the city morgue was so overwhelmed it rented a refrigerated truck for bodies, used until 1988.
Most violent crime was linked to turf wars between cartels and dealers, with figures like Griselda Blanco targeting rivals, including women and children.
The 1980s saw Miami dubbed a "failed state" by journalist Roben Farzad due to rampant crime and corruption.