COCAINE BEAR

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT COCAINE BEAR.

COCAINE / COCAINE BEAR / THE COCAINE BEAR

It was in 1985, a 175-pound American black bear died in Georgia after consuming a large amount of cocaine dropped by smuggler Andrew Thornton II, who died jumping from a plane.

The bear, later nicknamed “Pablo Escobear,” died of an overdose, unlike the violent rampage depicted in the 2023 movie.

The True Story Details:

The Smuggler: Andrew Carter Thornton II, a former narcotics officer and lawyer turned drug smuggler, was parachuting with a load of cocaine when his chute failed to deploy properly, killing him in Knoxville, Tennessee, on September 11, 1985.
The Bear’s Discovery: In December 1985, a black bear was found dead in Georgia’s Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest, surrounded by 40 opened plastic containers of cocaine, according to BearWise.
The Autopsy: A medical examiner confirmed the bear had ingested a significant quantity of cocaine, with reports suggesting it died of a stroke, heart failure, and other issues within 45 minutes of ingestion.
“Pablo Escobear”: The bear was eventually stuffed and, after a bizarre journey through several owners, is on display at the Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall in Lexington, says KY for KY Store

The male bear was most likely searching diligently for food before finally turning in for the winter.

Why would a bear think 75 pounds of cocaine was food?
Because cocaine is often cut with flour or baking soda and, like antifreeze, smells enticingly sweet to the super-powerful nose of a bear.

The family peculate that he either opened his parachute too late or the extra weight of the duffel bag of cocaine he was carrying was too much for the parachute. The free fall from thousands of feet killed him on impact.

The body of his victim was discovered a month later when investigators hunting for the millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine.