[PAR] [TLE] Frank Lucas (drug dealer) [SEP] Frank Lucas (born September 9, 1930) is an American former drug trafficker, who operated in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s.  He was particularly known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in the Golden Triangle.  Lucas boasted that he smuggled heroin using the coffins of dead American servicemen, but this claim is denied by his South East Asian associate, Leslie "Ike" Atkinson.  Rather than hide the drugs in the coffins, they were hidden in the pallets underneath as depicted in the 2007 feature film "American Gangster" in which he was played by Denzel Washington, although the film fictionalized elements of Lucas' life for dramatic effect. [PAR] [TLE] American Gangster (film) [SEP] American Gangster is a 2007 American biographical crime film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by Steven Zaillian.  The film is fictionally based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas, a gangster from La Grange, North Carolina who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War, before being detained by a task force led by detective Richie Roberts.  The film stars Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in their first lead acting roles together since 1995's "Virtuosity".  The film also co-stars Ted Levine, John Ortiz, Josh Brolin, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Norman Reedus, Ruby Dee, Lymari Nadal and Cuba Gooding Jr.
[PAR] [TLE] Frank Lucas ( drug dealer ) [ SEP ] Frank Lucas ( born September 9 , 1930 ) is an American former drug trafficker , who operated in Harlem during the late 1960s and early 1970s . He was particularly known for cutting out middlemen in the drug trade and buying heroin directly from his source in the Golden Triangle . Lucas boasted that he smuggled heroin using the coffins of dead American servicemen , but this claim is denied by his South East Asian associate , Leslie " Ike " Atkinson . Rather than hide the drugs in the coffins , they were hidden in the pallets underneath as depicted in the 2007 feature film " American Gangster " in which he was played by Denzel Washington , although the film fictionalized elements of Lucas ' life for dramatic effect . [PAR] [TLE] American Gangster ( film ) [ SEP ] American Gangster is a 2007 American biographical crime film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by Steven Zaillian . The film is fictionally based on the criminal career of Frank Lucas , a gangster from La Grange , North Carolina who smuggled heroin into the United States on American service planes returning from the Vietnam War , before being detained by a task force led by detective Richie Roberts . The film stars Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington in their first lead acting roles together since 1995 's " Virtuosity " . The film also co - stars Ted Levine , John Ortiz , Josh Brolin , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Norman Reedus , Ruby Dee , Lymari Nadal and Cuba Gooding Jr.
American Gangster is fictionally based on an American former drug trafficker, who operated where in the late 1960s and early 1970s?
American Gangster is fictionally based on an American former drug trafficker , who operated where in the late 1960s and early 1970s ?
Harlem
Harlem