The True Story of the “Cocaine Bear”
In the 1980s, the United States was in the midst of the so-called “War on Drugs,” a government campaign aimed at reducing the use and distribution of illegal drugs. One of the most infamous incidents during this time involved a black bear that accidentally ingested a large quantity of cocaine and died shortly thereafter. This bizarre event has been referred to as the “Cocaine Bear” story, and it has recently been made into a movie by director Elizabeth Banks.
The story begins with a drug smuggler named Andrew Thornton, who was flying a plane full of cocaine from Colombia to the United States in 1985. However, something went wrong during the flight, and Thornton was forced to abandon the plane and jump out with a parachute. Unfortunately, he did not survive the fall and died upon impact.
Meanwhile, the abandoned plane crashed into the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia. The plane’s cargo included hundreds of pounds of cocaine, and several duffle bags filled with the drug were scattered around the crash site.
Sometime later, a black bear in the area discovered one of the duffle bags and tore it open, unwittingly ingesting a large amount of cocaine. The bear quickly became hyperactive and disoriented, stumbling through the forest and eventually collapsing near a nearby cabin. Despite the efforts of wildlife officials to save the bear, it died shortly thereafter.
The “Cocaine Bear” story has become something of a legend in the years since the incident occurred, and it has been the subject of numerous retellings and pop culture references. However, it was not until recently that the full story behind the incident was brought to light.
In 2021, investigative journalist Matthew Griffin published a book titled “Last Flight Out: The True Story of the Cocaine Smugglers Who Died Flying the World’s Most Dangerous Route.” In the book, Griffin delves into the lives of the drug smugglers involved in the incident, including Andrew Thornton and his associates. The book also provides a detailed account of the events leading up to the “Cocaine Bear” incident, as well as its aftermath.
The book caught the attention of Hollywood, and director Elizabeth Banks quickly signed on to direct a film adaptation of the story. The movie, also titled “Cocaine Bear,” is set to be released in 2023 and stars Keri Russell as a fictionalized version of a forest ranger who discovers the bear’s body.
The “Cocaine Bear” story is a strange and tragic tale, and it serves as a reminder of the dangers of the illegal drug trade. Despite its sensationalized reputation, the story is a sobering reminder of the real-world consequences of drug smuggling and addiction.
