In the 1970s, he began to work for various contraband smugglers, often kidnapping and holding people for ransom before beginning to distribute powder cocaine himself, as well as establishing the first smuggling routes into the United States in 1975.
I 1970'erne begyndte han at arbejde for forskellige smugler, der ofte kidnappede folk, med henblik på løsepenge, inden de begyndte at distribuere pulverkocain selv og etablere de første smugleruter i USA i 1975.