Jacob Diaz

It felt like home.

Plus, as an American, he was able to travel freely between the two countries, arrange deliveries of product, rent stash houses, distribute product, and move the money for the cartel.

This is where Diaz's story begins.

The TSA agent asked Diaz to step into an interview room off of the large security area in the Orlando International Airport.

It was a strange request and his adrenaline immediately spiked.

Diaz had made the trip into Mexico, while carrying cash, over a dozen times and he'd never been so much as questioned by security.

Once in the small, eggshell-colored room, Diaz was asked to place his book bag on the table.

The x-ray machine picked up something, admitted the agent.

It's probably nothing.

Unfortunately for Diaz, less than 30 seconds later, he discovered 20 tightly bound rolls of U.S.

greenbacks held in place by thick rubber bands.

Huh, grunted the agent as he stacked $200,000 in cash on the table.

It's not nothing.

While Diaz sat in the room waiting for the DEA to arrive, his stomach squeezed into a ball of anxiety at the thought of losing the cartel's money.

The DEA agent that showed up to question him was polite, but insistent that the money wasn't going with Diaz to Mexico.

But it's my money, pled the 21-year-old narco.

He tried to convince the agent that he'd made it painting houses and landscaping.

It's not drug money.

You can't just take it.

Actually, I can.