EP. 116 - Lt. Raul J. Diaz and Sean Oliver | Killing the Lieutenant: Miami’s Cocaine Wars

Diaz takes us inside Miami during the cocaine wars of the 1970s and ’80s—a city overwhelmed by political bombings, organized crime, police corruption, heavily armed traffickers, and hundreds of homicides. He shares his firsthand recollections of confronting a new generation of criminals, the rise of Griselda Blanco, the creation of CENTAC 26, and his complicated relationship with notorious informant Ricardo “Monkey” Morales.

Sean Oliver explains how researching Monkey Morales led him to Diaz—and why Killing the Lieutenant needed to tell more than another “super-cop” story. Together, they explore the personal cost of the drug war, the toll on Diaz’s family, the temptation created by Miami’s cocaine money, and the betrayal Diaz says ultimately came from inside law enforcement.

This conversation also covers Operation Pedro Pan, Miami’s Cuban exile community, the Dadeland shooting, CIA-connected operatives, The Mutiny, the modern drug war, Netflix’s portrayal of Diaz in Griselda, and one unforgettable undercover dynamite bust.

This episode discusses violent crimes and other mature subject matter. Viewer discretion is advised.