The Cartel (2008)
A raw Colombian narco drama where ten cartel members destroy each other chasing power, money, and survival.
The Cartel - Series Information
- Original Title: El Cartel de los Sapos
- First Air Year: 2008
- Last Air Year: 2010
- Created by: Andrés López López
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama
- Content Rating (US): TV-MA
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode: 45 minutes
- Number of Seasons: 2
- Number of Episodes: 107
- Status: Canceled
- Original Language: Spanish
- Spoken Languages: Spanish
- First Air Date: June 4, 2008 (United States - TV-MA), June 4, 2008 (Mexico - B-15), June 4, 2008 (Spain - 16)
- Networks: Caracol TV
- Production Countries: Colombia
- Alternative Titles: El Cartel (CO), Cocaine Killers - Im Fadenkreuz der Mafia (DE), The Cartel of Snitches (US)
The Cartel - Plot
The Cartel follows ten friends, all of them members of a dangerous drug cartel, whose ambition for power and money will cause them to eventually kill each other. For it is an undeniable truth that, in this business, you always lose.
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The Cartel - Cast & Crew
Creator(s)
- Andrés López López
Main Cast
- Diego Cadavid
- Juan Pablo Raba
- Sandra Reyes
- Sergio Borrero
- Paulina Gálvez
- Carlos Augusto Maldonado
- Manolo Cardona
- Juliana Galvis
- Robinson Díaz
- Fernando Solórzano
The Cartel - FAQs
Where can you stream The Cartel online?
The Cartel is available to stream on Netflix and Netflix Standard with Ads. You can also watch it for free with ads on The Roku Channel. These options make it easy to catch all 107 episodes across both seasons without needing a cable subscription.
Is The Cartel based on a true story?
The series draws heavily from real events in Colombia's drug trade. Creator Andrés López López, himself a former cartel member turned informant, based the story on his memoir El Cartel de los Sapos. The characters and situations reflect genuine experiences from inside one of Colombia's most notorious trafficking organizations.
Who are the main actors in The Cartel?
The ensemble cast includes Diego Cadavid as Pepe Cadena, Juan Pablo Raba as Pirulito, Sandra Reyes as Amparo Cadena, Manolo Cardona as Martín González 'El Fresita', Robinson Díaz as Milton Jiménez 'El Cabo', Juliana Galvis as Eliana Saldarriaga, and Sergio Borrero as Emilio Sarmiento, among others.
How many seasons and episodes does The Cartel have?
The Cartel ran for two seasons with a total of 107 episodes. Season 1 contained 57 episodes and Season 2 wrapped up the story across 50 episodes. The series aired on Colombia's Caracol TV between 2008 and 2010 before being cancelled.
What is The Cartel about?
Ten friends bound together inside a ruthless drug cartel find that ambition is a slow poison. As each one claws for more power and money, loyalty crumbles and betrayal becomes inevitable. The series paints a bleak, unflinching portrait of life inside Colombia's narco underworld, where the only guaranteed outcome is destruction.
Is The Cartel worth watching for narco drama fans?
For fans of Colombian narco dramas, The Cartel is a compelling watch. Rooted in the real-life memoir of a former cartel insider, it delivers raw authenticity rarely found in the genre. The large ensemble cast and sprawling 107-episode run give the story room to breathe, making character arcs feel genuinely earned.
What inspired creator Andrés López López to make this series?
Andrés López López adapted the series from his own memoir, written after he became a government informant against the Norte del Valle Cartel. His firsthand experience gave the show an insider's authenticity, capturing the culture, violence, and moral decay of cartel life in ways that purely fictional accounts rarely achieve.
What are similar shows to The Cartel?
If The Cartel hooked you, Enemigo íntimo (2018) offers a similarly intense Colombian crime drama. For broader narco and action storytelling, The Day of the Jackal (2024) and The Terminal List: Dark Wolf (2025) are strong picks. Dexter: Resurrection (2025) also scratches that morally complex crime itch.
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