Jack Riley (3)

ONE OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS OF THE YEAR!
Drug Warrior is the autobiography of a young DEA agent who worked his way up the ladder to hold the #2 position in the agency.
Early in his career, Riley became a forward thinker who realized the nation's drug abuse problem would not be solved by just locking up the common street drug dealers. The solution was to go after the heads of the cartels. The main antagonist being Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Loera, head of the Sinaloa cartel.
Riley tells the story show more of many of his undercover assignments, of working his way up from low level dealers to the heads of different gangs. The stories are spell binding!
The author tells of the structure of the Columbian cartels, and how they used the Mexican gangs to funnel drugs into the United States. And then of how the Mexican gangs developed, became cartels of their own, and then used American gangs to distribute drugs.
And all the while connecting much of the drug trade to "El Chapo".
In headlines that are ripped from today's news, Riley explains how "El Chapo" predicted the opioid crisis of today. And how he fueled that crisis by introducing cheap heroin into the country. And then added to it through the use of fentanyl.
He relates of his efforts to bring "El Chapo" to justice. How, as he rose through the ranks, he never let up on his obsession with the man. Of the many close calls in almost catching "El Chapo, the capture and subsequent escape, and then of the final capture and extradition to the United States.
There is no other way to say it, this is a great book!
God bless the men like Jack Riley, who are able to see the big picture and are working to protect this nation! show less

Drug Warrior: Inside the Hunt for El Chapo and the Rise of America's Opioid Crisis
BY Jack Riley
due 2019
Hachette

This memoir chronicles the 30 year career of DEA agent Jack Riley, and his hunt and capture of some of the most wanted and violent smugglers and traffickers. He suggested using small time dealers to lead them to the importers and suppliers. Riley and his wife and adopted son, Kevin moved frequently, and he was able to weed out dirty agents and take down:
~Paul Born II, a show more motorcycle drug gang leader
~Rick MIller, a dirty agent selling drug to inmates
~Worked with President H.W. Bush to find Colombian drug
cartels
~Went after the 'Federation' a Colombian drug ring bringing
cocaine through Mexico to USA
~Formed Operation Mountain Express-a major drug
smuggling and distribution ring that sold common cold
tablets for conversion to Meth
~Developed a Fusion Center where al agencies-DEA, FBI,
CIA and ATF could enter information on a shared database

But his most notorious and and greatest achievement was helping to capture 'El Chapo' Guzman twice, when he escaped and was re-captured. This dirtbag was responsible for smuggling more opioids, heroin and marijuana than any other at that time.

This is an action packed memoir of a brave, courageous man, who sacrificed so much to make our country safer for us all, esp now when our country lacks leadership and intelligence, hIs dedication is commendable. A modern day hero. show less

This was a great memoir by Jack Riley, a DEA agent. I loved that he kept it on point and it was interesting to learn about what he did.