Narco Wars - Der Kampf gegen Drogen

George Anastasia is the author of highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling books about the Mafia and is a former writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer. (National Geographic/Richard Numeroff)

George Anastasia is the author of highly acclaimed New York Times bestselling books about the Mafia and is a former writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer. (National Geographic/Richard Numeroff)

Local workers adding and mixing ingredients to make the cocaine paste. (National Geographic/Will West)

American troops. (Getty)

Bruce Mouw is a former FBI special agent who was supervisor of the 'C-16 Gambino Squad', the criminal squad assigned to investigate the illegal activities of the Gambino crime family. (National Geographic/Juan Camilo Barriga)

This sicario deserted the Mexican Army to join a drug cartel. (National Geographic/Alex Nott)

The Colombian Army continue to shut down the cocaine processing labs that still exist in Colombia. (National Geographic/Will West)

Local workers picking up fresh coca leaves. (National Geographic/Will West)

The Colombian Army continue to shut down the cocaine processing labs that still exist in Colombia. (National Geographic/Will West)

Chris Feistl is a retired DEA agent, who specialized in investigating the drug trafficking operations of the Colombian Cali Cartel. (National Geographic/Ruaridh Connellan)

Sergeant Jim Cope was the lead supervisor in the investigation into Sammy Gravano’s ecstasy ring. (National Geographic/Ruaridh Connellan)

Joe Pistone, a former FBI agent. (National Geographic/Will Francome)

Karen Gravano is the daughter of Gambino crime family Underboss Sammy Gravano (aka Sammy 'The Bull'). (National Geographic/Richard Numeroff)

Meth labs run by the Mexican cartels can produce upwards of 400 kilos of crystal meth per month. (National Geographic/Alex Nott)

Chris Feistl is a retired DEA agent, who specialized in investigating the drug trafficking operations of the Colombian Cali Cartel. (National Geographic/Ruaridh Connellan)

Meth labs run by the Mexican cartels can produce upwards of 400 kilos of crystal meth per month. (National Geographic/Alex Nott)

Ed Guevara is a retired FBI Agent who spent years investigating the record-breaking Lufthansa Heist of 1978. By carefully debriefing Mafia informant Henry Hill, Ed helped convict the heist's mastermind Jimmy Burke. (National Geographic/Juan Camilo Barriga)

Howard Greenberg is a criminal defense lawyer who married into the Bonanno family during the 1970's. (National Geographic/Will Francome)

George Martorano is the son of Raymond "Long John" Martorano, a major dealer of methamphetamine in Philadelphia during the 1970s and associate of the city's mafia boss Angelo Bruno. (National Geographic/Richard Numeroff)

Mixing cocaine. (National Geographic/Alex Nott)