Stansel probably had some high-powered help from corrupt elements of the US intelligence community. He had been a business partner in an Honduras seafood company with Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza, who reportedly provided protection and aircraft. Stansel was considered a “major” drug smuggler according to Peter Dale Scott’s book “Cocaine Politics.”
Oh, that’s extremely interesting. I checked my library catalog for the book, but they don’t have it.