What happened in Miami in the 80s?

The 1980 Miami riots were race riots that occurred in Miami, Florida, starting in earnest on May 18, 1980, following an all-white male jury acquitting four Dade County Public Safety Department officers in the death of Arthur McDuffie (December 3, 1946 – December 21, 1979), a Black insurance salesman and United States …

What caused the 1980 Miami riots?

Riots and incidents The 1980 riots were race riots that occurred in Miami, starting in earnest on May 18, 1980, following the acquittal of police officers who had beaten black motorcyclist Arthur McDuffie.

Did you know the Miami Drug War started in the 80s?

You probably know about the “War on Drugs” started by former President Nixon in 1971, but you might not know about the Miami drug war which took place in southern Florida throughout the ’80s. The War on Drugs may have been raging longer, but the Miami drug war was much more violent during the short time in which it took place.

How did Miami become the drug capital of the world?

Medellín cartel traffickers Mickey Munday, Jon Roberts, Griselda Blanco and Max Mermelstein brought in loads of drugs from Colombia with the help of Jorge “Rivi” Ayala as a hitman responsible for around three dozen murders. Miami soon became known as the “Drug Capital of the World” due to ensuing turf wars between drug lords.

What did the Reagan administration do to fight the Miami Drug War?

As the Los Angeles Times records, the Reagan administration, which lasted most of the ’80s when the Miami drug war was underway, tried to quell smuggling by using the Navy and Air Force to intercept loads, but it couldn’t stop the cocaine from raining like snow. No hard feelings though.

What was happening in Miami in the 1980s?

Violence began to become endemic in Miami. In 1980 the city had 573 murders in the year, and the next year had 621 murders. By 1981 the city morgue had an overload of dead bodies and were forced to rent out a refrigerated truck to keep the bodies, keeping it until 1988.