The Cocaine Cowboys era in Miami began in the early 1970s, when Colombian cartels began smuggling large quantities of cocaine into the city. The trade was highly profitable, with cocaine selling for thousands of dollars per kilogram. However, the trade was also highly violent, with rival gangs and cartels fighting for control of the market. One of the most notorious gangs of this era was the Medellín cartel, led by Pablo Escobar. The cartel's operatives in Miami, including Griselda Blanco and Jorge 'Rivi' Ayala, were responsible for numerous murders and violent attacks. The cocaine trade also had a corrupting influence on law enforcement, with many officers and officials accepting bribes and turning a blind eye to the trade. However, in the late 1980s, a series of high-profile busts and prosecutions began to dismantle the cocaine trade in Miami. The city's police department was also reformed, with a new emphasis on integrity and accountability. Today, Miami is a much safer city, and the Cocaine Cowboys era is remembered as a dark chapter in the city's history. The era has been immortalized in films and documentaries, including the 2006 documentary 'Cocaine Cowboys,' which explores the rise and fall of the trade.