NOTORIOUS drug lord Alpo Martinez’s cocaine empire spanned from New York City to Washington DC during its height in the mid-1980s.
Martinez was branded a "snitch and traitor" after allegedly ratting out rivals to save his own skin and the kingpin was one of the inspirations behind the 2002 movie Paid in Full.
The drug lord transported kilos of cocaine into Washington DC and flaunted his wealth as he bought jewelry, cars, and clothes.
He appeared to admit shooting a former business partner and was charged with 14 counts of murder.
The drugs kingpin was serving a 35-year sentence in a supermax federal jail in Colorado before being released in 2015 and lived under witness protection.
Just years later, the 55-year-old was reportedly gunned down in a drive-by shooting in Harlem on Sunday where he was later pronounced dead in hospital.
The crack cocaine epidemic surged in cities such as New York City and Los Angeles during the 1980s as the drug was cheap to import from Colombia.
It was trafficked through the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic as batches arrived at the ports of Miami.
It’s reported that a dose of crack could be bought for as little as $2.50 in New York – equivalent to around $6 in today’s currency, according to the Department of Justice.
A gram of powdered cocaine that was 80 percent pure could be bought for around $100.
In New York City, around three-quarters of crack users were middle-class youngsters from Long Island, New Jersey, or the affluent Westchester County.
But, because it was so cheap to buy, the drug rapidly spread to poorer neighborhoods.
In 1985, almost six million people admitted using cocaine – up from 4.2 million, according to the Department of Health and Human Service’s National Household Survey.
Cocaine hospitalizations rose from 23,500 to 26,300 in 1985 but sky-rocketed a year later as numbers soared by a whopping 110 percent.
In 1986, there were 55,200 cocaine-related hospitalizations and incidents quadrupled.
Bureau of Justice data from 1988 revealed that crack use in New York City was linked to 32 percent of all homicides and 60 percent of drug-related homicides.
The drug was dominated by traffickers and dealers from the Dominican Republic and the substance was available in 28 states including the District of Columbia.
It’s thought that by the late 1980s, one in 10 newborn babies had been exposed to at least crack, heroin, or marijuana while in the womb.
CRACK EPIDEMIC SOARS
The Reagan Administration branded drug trafficking and production a “security threat” to the US but the crack epidemic wasn’t treated as a health crisis at the time.
Martinez, Richard Porter, and Azie Faison were prominent drug lords during the 1980s and inspired the 2002 fictional movie Paid in Full.
The film follows the characters Ace, Mitch, and Rico, as they navigate the risky and action-packed world of high-profile drug dealing.
Ace is based on former drug dealer Azie Faison – who worked alongside Martinez and Porter.
Actor Mekhi Phifer plays “Mitch”, a character inspired by Rich Porter.
Rico, who is based on Martinez, is played by rapper and actor Cam’Ron – best known for songs such as Oh Boy and Hey Ma.
IMDB describes the plot of the movie as: "A young man from Harlem, forced to cope with the 1980s drug scene, builds an illegal empire, only to have a crisis of conscience."
Former drug-dealer Kevin Chiles told VICE in 2015 that Martinez was “charismatic and outgoing”.
He said: “He had a party always going on around him and people gravitated to him. What ultimately was unique about Alpo was that he would go from uptown to downtown from the Eastside to the Westside almost like he was campaigning. He was an adrenaline junkie.”
Martinez said he shot friend Richard Porter in January 1990 because he suspected he was cutting in on drug deals, the New York Times reports.
In a 1999 interview with F.E.D.S magazine that was cited by the Times, Martinez said: “Rich lied to me about something there was no reason to lie about.
"I gave him the opportunity to tell me the truth not once, but twice. He didn’t die so I shot him in the head. It wasn't personal. It was business."
The drugs kingpin told reporter Antoine Clark that the body was dumped in the bushes.
Martinez was branded a “traitor” as he testified against Wayne Perry – a man believed to be his former enforcer – in open court in 1993.
'TAKE RESPONSIBLITY'
It’s alleged that the drug lord tried to spare himself a life sentence.
Chiles said: “For me and anybody of that mindset or lifestyle who chooses to live outside the law, there’s a certain understanding: It’s never right in any instance to take your situation and then pass it on to somebody else to suffer the consequences of your actions. A man takes responsibility for his actions.”
Alpo was sentenced to 35 years in jail following his testimony.
He was released from jail in 2015 after serving his sentence at ADX Florence prison in Colorado.
Martinez was shot in the chest, chin, and arm and was rushed to Harlem Hospital where medics pronounced him dead.
Cops found ID in the name of Abraham Rodriguez as the drug lord had lived under witness protection after testifying against dealers.
Pictures show the shattered windows of the truck that were riddled with bullet holes.
It's reported that the drug dealer lost consciousness after he was shot and crashed into a parked car.
Cops told the New York Post that the 55-year-old was “in danger” as soon as he returned to Harlem.
A police source said: “You were in the witness protection program because you testified against other drug dealers.
“You’d make a lot of enemies who have a score to settle. When you return to the same area, word will get out very fast. He’s back in the zone.”
Chiles believed Martinez would never have returned to New York.
He said: “I am most certain that Alpo won’t come back to New York. He knows he has a bullseye on him.”
As news of the drug dealer’s death emerged, the family of Richard Porter reportedly celebrated by drinking champagne.
Porter’s niece, known only as Lorell, told the New York Daily News: “We waited for a long time for this day to come and we are happy.
“That’s why we’re out here celebrating drinking champagne. Everybody’s reaction right now is celebrating. It’s a celebration for Harlem, period.”
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