two hours, 3,000 U.S. boats were  headed  for Cuba. In the next few weeks, it became evident that Castro was  forcing  the boat owners to carry back with them not only their relatives  but the  dregs of his jail population. By the time the port was closed 125,000  Marielitos had landed in Florida. An estimated 25,000 had criminal  records. This is the story of that minority those they call Los  Bandidos."