The Next Run: A UC Berkeley Student's Rise to Major 60s Pot Smuggler

by Tom Jenkins

The true story of a 60s Berkeley student who starts smuggling pot hidden in cars, graduates to planes, resorts to wading sacks through the Rio Grande, and ultimately finds himself heading the Colombian end of an operation using a twin-engine cargo plane to drop bales to waiting speedboats off the coast of Florida. At the same time, his Mexican contacts are sending him six-ton loads transported in semis past a bribed customs officer. His next move stuns the smuggling world.

Jenkins’ portrayal of the sixties counterculture picks up where Kerouac left off. The Next Run takes you on a wild ride through crazy times replete with commentary on everything from math to mental illness to the morality and ethics of smuggling. On the way Tom finds lasting bonds, betrayals, love, and a stronger sense of self.

404 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 20, 2024

About the author

Dr. Jenkins has used the fluent Spanish he acquired smuggling to provide healthcare to Spanish-speaking patients in various safety net settings, both rural and inner city. He has taught clinic-based and hospital-based medicine at a major medical center and has volunteered at clinics in Sinaloa, Mexico. In his spare time he enjoys backpacking and playing guitar.

Reviews

[Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

True crime fans, what's something we all love when reading through the pages? Easy, the heart pounding thrills of what's going to happen. Unlike any true crime book I've read, this one takes us on a journey through one man's story of drug smuggling in the 1960's. Tom Jenkins not only tells the story from the beginning, but he tells it in a way where it's almost like watching a movie. The details are persistent and imposing.
I've always wondered about drug smuggling and the dangers the smugglers face. But also, just how intelligent they actually are to be coming up with all of these ways to get past officials.
Tom was just a teenager with his friends doing this. At times, he's naive and people take advantage of his vulnerability. His sense of humor is also spilled all throughout the pages and just adds onto the enjoyment.
In some parts, as he's describing his love for the Mexican culture and the genuine hospitality they give him, it brought me back to my own experiences in Nicaragua and I'm very grateful for that.
This book is worth the read. It's beautifully written and told. It keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering when he's going to get busted or scammed. It'll also have you thinking "what is this crazy gringo thinking?". I encourage all of you true crime fans to read this eye opening, thrilling, humorous, and informative book. I genuinely enjoyed it and I know y'all would too.


** Thank you Book Publicity Services for reaching out & sending me a paperback ARC in exchange for an honest review. I'm very grateful! **

[Mia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t give this book enough praise. I couldn’t put it down because it’s a wild ride in every sense of the word!

I’ve really gotten into narco-trafficking/smuggling stories over the past few years and I have to say that this one is top 3 for me. Jenkins tell his story matter-of-factly, without pulling any punches or passing any judgment. But the way he tells it is so compelling and I felt like I was right alongside him, sweating at the border checkpoint every single time. He describes how rudderless he felt as a college student and why he was drawn to smuggling marijuana over the border and it’s such an interesting story.

This book was just published in April 2024 and I think it deserves a lot of attention. It’s got suspense, drama, action, betrayal, and a look into the 1960s hippie counterculture. If you’re on the hunt for your next nonfiction read, give this one a try.

[Michelle Herzing · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I picked up The Next Run to continue my non-fiction pledge, I didn't expect to be completely swept away by the story of how Tom Jenkins went from being a college engineering student to drug smuggler...but I was! The Next Run is a fascinating story, which brought back memories of the 1960's and 70's, when I was a very young girl, as he talks about music, cars and other things that were popular in that era. Tom Jenkins's adventures as a young adult looking to make money and finding that he had a knack for smuggling were nothing short of edge of your seat exciting, and I kept waiting to see how he got out of more than a few close calls with the border and customs officials. One of the most interesting parts of the story were the adjustments and adaptations Jenkins and his colleagues had to make throughout the years as the government crackdowns and competition from other smugglers made it more difficult and dangerous to move contraband.

Read this book if you like a well-written adventure story set in the 1960's and can accept and enjoy morally gray true crime written from the criminal's perspective.

Thank you to Book Publicity Services, Rider Avenue Press and Tom Jenkins for the complimentary copy of The Next Run. The opinions in this review are my own.

[Jenna Anselmo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this book in exchange for my honest review.
The Next Run starts off with narrator Tom telling the reader how he used to cut the panels in his truck to his the weed he would smuggle. And then you were brought along for a wild ride right from the beginning, when 3 college boys were bored and decided to take a trip to Mexico on spring break that changed the course of their lives.
This book was fast paced and I really appreciated the short chapters that kept me wanting to continue reading to hide out what in the world was going to happen next!
As someone who does not read a lot of non fiction or true crime, this book was a lot of fun to read and would recommend to others as well.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What a wild ride. Tom's adventures had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The daring risks he and his buddies took, from smuggling pot in cars to navigating the dangerous world of drug trafficking, kept me hooked throughout. I especially enjoyed the vivid descriptions of Mexico in the 60s, adding an immersive layer to the story. There were some scenes that were a bit disturbing, but I had to remind myself that this was back in the 60s and thus different times. If you're looking for a thrilling read filled with suspense, betrayal, and intrigue, this is it!

A very special thanks to Book Publicity Services for the gifted copy.

[Cheryl Deitrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Kelsey at Book Publicity Services for the opportunity to read this book!!

@bookpublicityservices

My Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is a true crime memoir of a college student’s rise to a major 60’s pot smuggler. It was an account of some wild illegal adventures! I wish the author would have extended certain parts in the book. I would have liked to have read more about his student life, just found it overall interesting. For those that enjoy memoirs it’s a good read.

#thenextrun #bookpublicityservices #truecrime #memior #book #read #books #bookworms #tbr #smuggler #booklover

[Juliana Knight Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a fascinating and really engaging read! I kept wanting to see what would happen next. It covers a period of time I was not familiar with at all - California and Mexico in the 60s, and the world of smuggling pot into the United States during that time. Tom Jenkins describes the people he meets and works with, the places he travels, and the constant sense of risk and fear of getting caught in vivid detail. This was a great read!

[Laura Miley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Next Run is not a book I ever would have picked to read myself, but I really enjoyed it, so thank you Book Publicity Services for giving me the chance to experience it.

I really enjoyed Jenkins’ story, as well as his writing style. The Next Run felt like an action movie, and a coming of age story at the same time.

I can definitely say it’s one of the more nerve wracking memoirs I’ve read in my life.
•

Thanks to Book Publicity Services for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Lauren Vick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a book I would typically pick up, but I’m grateful to have the opportunity to read a copy from Kelsey at Book Publicity Services.
Being that this is based on a true story made this story even more enjoyable to read. I honestly felt like I was in a movie as the characters went on their runs and were dodging the police.
A fast paced adventure that you will not want to put down!

[clovereads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book! The short chapters and intriguing plot kept me reading, which I loved. It’s a well written book, and I found myself often forgetting that I was reading. It’s not the genre that I usually read and had a hard time picking it up sometimes.

[Mike Fredericks · Rating 4 out of 5]

UC Berkeley, and the hip "turn on, tune in, drop out" mindset of the 1960s sets the stage for this story involving a colorful cast of characters smuggling marijuana from Mexico. "Born to be a smuggler" author Tom Jenkins weaves a detailed narrative of his successes and failures in smuggling, and in life. Reflecting humor and irony in well-written details, Jenkins throws in an unexpected twist at the end. The Next Run provides an interesting insight to another age.

[Mark Tauber · Rating 1 out of 5]

A few qualifiers before the review: I’m a child of the 60s and like most Boomers understand the holy mantra of our generation—sex, drugs and rock & roll. Unlike Tom Jenkins I never imported or sold drugs. But I do read a lot. And finally, many people believe they have a book in them. Ok, Tom, this was your book and one star means “one and done.”
What was the message here? Was the book a “how to” manual or a “what not to do” treatise? Or a coming of age that only the author came through? While his writing is good, his story gave me a range of emotions throughout. However Jenkins’ cycle of evoked emotions continually repeats itself: engagement, anticipation, anxiety, and boredom. It really doesn’t matter who the characters are on either side of the border, the modes for smuggling, or how things end up in each chapter. They just repeat themselves over and over. Now I know how my relatives and friends felt when I started breathlessly telling them all the time about my training and running, a bug that hit many of us in the 70s. Ok, fine, you went running. Ok fine Tom, you smuggled drugs.
I will point out that there were few sympathetic characters in the story.
The epilogue was in a style of American Grafitti and Animal House: where are they now? It seems like Jenkins was the only one to have come of age during all the chaos and confusion. Truly a sad indictment of his peers. I found it hard to believe border patrols, law enforcement on both sides of the border were that stupid or that corrupt.
If I was part of the target audience, this book missed the target.

[late.night.pages · Rating 4 out of 5]

This felt like sitting around the campfire talking with old friends, reminiscing about the crazy things you did in your 20s! Memoirs aren't books I typically pick up but when offered a copy of this, I took a peek at an excerpt and said yes! I am glad that I did.

Tom Jenkins (the author's pen name) writes an incredibly detailed account of his time as a smuggler. He writes about the moment the idea even came up and continues to recount his ten-year stint smuggling weed from across the world to the US. Jenkins details a series of near misses, mere coincidences, and amazing luck to weave a tale that at times had me saying "no way!".

There are a few moments where the 'glamour' of making a lot of money comes into play but I was pleasantly surprised by how much of the memoir was really about the relationships he built, the friends he made, the enemies, friends turned adversaries, those that ripped him off, and those that stuck through until the end. It feels like he never quite took himself too seriously, like he knew that thi was just a temporary adventure but with the bravado only someone 18-20 can have.

While I felt the ending wrapped up incredibly quickly, especially against the thorough account prior, this was an enjoyable read. And, while I can't imagine any of the events would happen the same today, it's fascinating to me how seemingly easy it was at times. It was the '60s after all! If you enjoy memoirs, give this one a try.

[OhWowAlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was such an amazing reading journey. During the four days of reading this book, I simply couldn’t stop thinking about the plot and even when I was at work, the story frequently came across my mind. Last time I had this kind of experience was when I was reading Gone With The Wind.

⭐️This is a first-person narrative true crime about an UC Berkeley student’s rise to a major pot smuggler. It all began with a small amount through cars and as more and more people became interested in either pot or pot smuggling, this had become a career for Tom.

⭐️You think this was only about pot smuggling? Nope. Humanity was put under test as there is no legal protection for pot smuggling. There were betrayal from dealers, partners and even the closest friends. It is such a page-turner and I constantly had to hold my breath when it came to crucial moment. I also love the author’s humor, which reminds me Holden from The Catcher In the Rye.

⭐️The best thing about true crime is its authenticity. Though you can tell that certain decisions were made in more practical ways than they would have been in a fictional novel, still Tom’s entire pot smuggling career is able to take your breath away starting the moment you open the book.

[Michelle Tuite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading 2025
Book 36: The Next Run: A UC Berkeley Student's Rise to Major 60s Pot Smuggler by Tom Jenkins

Not sure where I saw this, maybe a s a recommendation after I read another true crime book. Maybe in my search for titillating nonfiction books, Kindle recommended this one to me. Read this on my Kindle.

Synopsis: The true story of a 60s Berkeley student who starts smuggling pot hidden in cars, graduates to planes, resorts to wading sacks through the Rio Grande, and ultimately finds himself heading the Colombian end of an operation using a twin-engine cargo plane to drop bales to waiting speedboats off the coast of Florida. At the same time, his Mexican contacts are sending him six-ton loads transported in semis past a bribed customs officer. His next move stuns the smuggling world.

Review: First, some interesting parts, and edge of your seat border crossings. Second, so much of the same. Go to Mexico, get drugs, try to get it across the border, sell it, repeat. The book was bogged down with minutiae for me, and left me uninterested in places. My rating 3⭐️.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was gifted to me by @bookpublicityservices and wow! I am so fascinated by this story! I cannot believe how crazy this ride is, at least for me, and I am so riveted!

I really enjoy how well these tales are told. I feel like I am sitting around the fire and listening to Jenkins recount this, with all the flair are verve of a great story, but also with the little details that paint the fuller picture.

I kept telling my husband about this, and now it is on his nightstand as he too is captivated by this true tale.

I would recommend this story, truly out today, for a look into one man's journey into a crazy world and how it eventually changes him.

Thank you @authortomjenkins for this very entertaining book!

[WeLoveBigBooksAndWeCannotLie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever been to Mexico?🇲🇽
I have many times, but thankfully never ran into any of the chaos that Tom Jenkins found himself! This is his true story set in the 60s of how he was talked into paying for his quick college trip to Mexico, by picking up some drugs and selling them back in the US. It seemed harmless and easy at first but quickly escalated.
While this is a crazy story, but it’s well written has a lot of heart. This isn’t a book I would typically pick up, but honestly was invested in what would happen immediately!
Thank you @Bookpublicityservices for this gifted copy!
The Next Run was published in April, you can find this on our Amazon storefront! 🧜🏼‍♀️🌺
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[TheNickell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not my typical book. I tend to stick with Historical Fiction and Romcom-y titles. This book absolutely held my attention and scratched any itch I had. This is an incredibly compelling and unlikely story of a kid who goes to Mexico to buy pot and it snowballs from there. The book is extremely well written and feels like it’s a friend regaling you with his past hijinks. I highly recommend, even if it’s not your typical genre. You’ll find yourself immediately locked in.

[Christine Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Tom for sending me this copy of The Next Run. I throughly enjoyed diving into this journey. It was an exciting ride, and will definitely be displayed on my shelf for a future re-read. Tom’s writing style will keep you turning pages and the story itself will keep you entertained throughout the entirety of the book. I laughed, gasped, and was constantly intrigued by every twist and turn.

[Andrea Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an interesting story about the journey of Tom Jenkins from college student to a major player in the world of pot smuggling in the 60s. At times the plot got a little bogged down in details which rushed the ending a bit, and the number of characters made it a little hard to follow. However the story was enthralling and the author really gives you an honest look into his world and perspective.

Thank you to Book Publicity Services for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Alexsis · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting story! We start off with Tom starting to smuggle and we follow him along many travels to Mexico and different dealers and the way he went about finding people and rides and buddies to help out along the way. Moving onto airplanes and other countries and all the adventure along the way. Sometimes these friends weren’t great and burned him, sometimes the cars broke down and sometimes there were dangerous situations. This book felt a little repetitive at times and I had a hard time picking it up other times (this might be my mood reader self) but I really enjoyed Tom’s writing, the short chapters and the wild ride he takes us on.
This is a good nonfiction to pick up! It reads more like fiction than not because it’s that fun and wild!

Thank you to Book Publicity Services for the gifted book in exchange for an honest review.

[Debby Commander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up in the Florida Keys and knowing and hearing lots of stories about Drug Smuggling made me want to read this book. Really enjoyed reading this book

[Mike T · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ok book. I found it a bit long and oddly detailed where it didn’t need to be. Some smuggling runs dragged out, others were just a brief sentence. Probably wouldn’t recommend reading.