A drug lord is the term used to describe a person who controls a sizable network of persons involved in the distribution of illegal drugs. Such figures are often difficult to bring to justice, as they might never be directly in possession of something illegal, but are insulated from the actual trade in drugs by several layers of underlings. The prosecution of drug lords is therefore usually the result of carefully planned infiltrations of their networks, often using informants from within the network.

The Medellin Cartel was a particularly strong group of drug lords coordinating the transportation of cocaine out of Medellin, Columbia.

Drug lords are a popular choice for the lead villain in many action movie and television shows, having been featured for such purposes in the Lethal Weapon series and in Miami Vice.