SMUGGLER: Barry Seal
The Mexico Caper
In the mid-1960s, Seal went to work for Howard Hughes's Trans World Airlines. In those days, Seal was one of only a handful of commercial airline pilots without military flying experience and a college degreeSeal had dropped out of Louisiana State University after only one year. Despite those shortcomings on his resume, Seal's skill as a pilot led to quick promotions at TWA. While still in his 20s, Seal moved into the captain's seat in the Boeing 707 and later in the jumbo 747.
Yet, even while working as an international airline captain, Barry Seal was still seeking an outlet for his adventurer's spirit. To do so, he seems to have chosen to carry on the anti-Castro crusade of his old CAP commander, David Ferrie, who died in New Orleans under mysterious circumstances in 1967, just a week after being named one of the targets of New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison's investigation of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
On July 1, 1972, federal agents arrested Seal in New Orleans for attempting to smuggle military explosives out of the country. In connection with their investigation, Customs agents seized a DC-4 cargo plane in Shreveport packed with nearly 14,000 pounds seven tons of C-4 military explosive. The airplane was also loaded with 7,000 feet of high-explosive primer cord, and 2,600 electric blasting caps. Several other men were arrested with Seal.
The munitions were reportedly bound for anti-Castro Cuban exiles in Mexico.
Nearly two years later, in June 1974, when the case finally went to trial in federal court in New Orleans, the judge declared a mistrial. The U.S. Attorney's Office chose not to re-file the charges. Barry had dodged his first legal bullet. It would not be his last.