Gilberto Molina

Between 1987 and 1989, he was involved in a new Green War, an intense power struggle over the control the emerald mines. Specifically, Molina was battling a rival operation, the Coscuez mines, in the violence-ridden emerald-mining district. Molina was initially assumed to be victorious in this violent struggle, along with his business partners Morita and Victor Carranza. Many attempts were made on his life in 1988, which involved even rockets and grenades. Finally, on Monday, February 27, 1989, a group consisting of around 25 uniformed men stormed into Molina's luxurious ranch, located in Sasaima, 72 km west of Bogotá, while Molina was hosting a housewarming party. The attackers took over the ranch without a fight and killed 18 men, including Molina, another emerald dealer, a retired police colonel in charge of Molina's security, several bodyguards, friends and musicians.

At some point, and probably as a result of his connections with Rodríguez Gacha, Molina apparently also became involved with drug trafficking and with the sponsorship of paramilitary right-wing organizations. Due to this sponsorship, Molina had been declared a military objective by the FARC guerrilla. During January 1988, Molina was charged with allegations that he operated an airplane maintenance facility at Subachoque, near Bogotá, where helicopters (including Panamanian registered helicopters) were serviced secretly. He also owned a private ranch called La Fortuna, which allegedly contained sophisticated warning devices and was used as a drug distribution center. In January 1988, Molina was arrested on a murder charge and was later implicated as the owner of a 200-hectare coca plantation in Boyacá. However, the narcotics charges were later dropped.

Gilberto Molina Moreno (February 27, 1937 – February 27, 1989) was a major Colombian emerald magnate who was intimately connected to the notorious Medellín cartel and widely suspected of involvement in drug trafficking during the 1980s.