Enrique Camarena

Enrique "Kiki" Camarena was a Mexican-American intelligence officer for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). He joined the DEA in 1974 and was assigned to Mexico in 1981, where he investigated the activities of the Guadalajara drug cartel. He uncovered a large-scale marijuana plantation and a cocaine processing facility, which led to the arrest of several drug lords and the seizure of tons of drugs. However, his actions also made him a target of the cartel, who kidnapped him on February 7, 1985, as he left the American Consulate in Guadalajara. He was tortured and killed by the cartel members, who then buried his body in a rural area. His disappearance sparked a massive manhunt by the DEA and the Mexican authorities, who eventually found his body on March 5, 1985. His death caused outrage and grief among his family, friends, colleagues, and the public, who honored his memory and his sacrifice in the fight against drugs. His death also inspired the creation of Red Ribbon Week, an annual anti-drug campaign that encourages people to wear red ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to a drug-free life. Camarena was posthumously awarded the Administrator's Award of Honor, the highest award given by the DEA, and the Intelligence Star, the second-highest award given by the CIA. He was also inducted into the Intelligence Hall of Fame in 2000.