"Los Miami" Trial Reveals Bizarre Tale of Cocaine Smuggling, Lamborghinis, and Santería

One night in mid-July, FBI agents swarmed three buildings around town simultaneously. It was one of the most incredible drug busts in Miami history -- and hardly anyone noticed. At the time, we wrote about how a sculpted, tattooed Spaniard named Álvaro López Tardón and several associates stood accused of...

By Michael E. Miller

August 9, 2011

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One night in mid-July, FBI agents swarmed three buildings around town simultaneously. It was one of the most incredible drug busts in Miami history -- and hardly anyone noticed. At the time, we wrote about how a sculpted, tattooed Spaniard named Álvaro López Tardón and several associates stood accused of laundering more than $26 million in drug proceeds by splurging on fancy penthouses and fast cars.

But court records and interviews with prosecutors paint an even more unbelievable story: from dueling assassination attempts to hidden narco-fortunes, grisly torture scenes to the biggest drug lab bust in European history.

Check out this week's metro for more details. Or check out this video of the massive drug lab bust that led to Los Miami's downfall.

The January raid on a farm near Madrid netted the infamous "Cocaine Queen" Ana María Cameno Antolín -- allegedly an employee of the gang's Miami-based leader, Álvaro López Tardón -- as well as 300 kilos of cocaine and 33 tons of precursor chemicals.

That haul made it the biggest drug lab bust in European history.

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Michael E. Miller was a staff writer at Miami New Times for five years. His work for New Times won many national awards, including back-to-back-to-back Sigma Delta Chi medallions. He now covers local enterprise for the Washington Post.

Contact: Michael E. Miller