Years later they developed into one of the biggest criminal organisations in the history of Colombia. They started literally as an office where anyone could hire a hit man. La Oficina – or “The Office” – is one of the most notorious groups that sprung up. But soon, criminal gangs started to appear to fill the gap. When Pablo Escobar was killed in 1993 the Medellin cartel was left without a boss – and most of the assassins, traffickers and foot soldiers were left without a job. Unfortunately the years of evil and greed have marked this city for life, and the beauty hides a violent and disturbing criminal underworld.
I have been travelling to Medellin for nearly 20 years and during that time I have witnessed the city’s mutation from one of the murder capitals of the world to one of Colombia’s booming cities.
