Snatched: From Drug Queen to Informer to Hostage--A Harrowing True Story

by Bruce Porter

Snatched is the electric tale, by the New York Times bestselling author of Blow, Bruce Porter, that tells the true story of a woman caught between two worlds, with her life dangling in the balance.

Raised an aristocrat in Colombia and educated in European schools, Pilar transfixes everyone with her charm and her guile. She also falls for dangerous men and finds herself drawn into the highest levels of the cocaine trade.

After two failed marriages and a harrowing escape from the drug life, she settles down to a quiet existence in Florida with her children--until her second husband tries to cut short his prison term by giving her name over to members of a new task force being formed by the DEA. They induce Pilar, now a middle-aged woman, to infiltrate the Cali cartel as the head of a vast money laundering sting.

Named "Operation Princess," the scheme leads to the seizure of tens of millions of dollars, along with some $500 million worth of cocaine and the exposure of hundreds of high-level traffickers, becoming one of the most daring and successful stings in DEA history.

But Pilar plays her part too well. Her success as a money launderer gets her kidnapped and then ransomed by a band of guerrillas in South America--and the US government refuses to negotiate. It's left to her low-level handlers in the DEA to get her back, before it's too late and her kidnappers discover they have a federal agent in their clutches.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Memoir, Drugs, Crime

313 pages, Hardcover

First published April 19, 2016

Reviews

[Kasia (kasikowykurz)]

DNF 37%.

Miałam wysokie oczekiwania, bo uwielbiam takie książki, ale to jest tak nudne i jest tyle wątków pobocznych, że ciągle zapominam, o czym to w sumie miało być. Szkoda, bo można było stworzyć z tego świetną historię, a tak mam ochotę przeczytać artykuł na Wikipedii, który pewnie będzie ciekawszy...

[Kdmayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for a book club I belong to. This book is a true story about a woman who married a man who had money. After she married him she learned that he earned his money by importing drugs from Columbia and then selling them. Before she knew it she was involved in the drug business. And the story goes on from there..... I liked this book because the main character was very interesting. She was very smart and college educated and look how her life turned out.

[David Krajicek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Porter is a brilliant story-teller, condensing this 25-year true crime saga into a crisp narrative that buzzes along without bogging down thanks to his casual, tell-me-a-story style. The details of the Wild West approach of the federal agencies involved in the "war on drugs" ought to blow your mind.

[Brittany · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could not get into this book one bit, unfortunately. I feel like it could be a good read for the right person though.

[Miriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cartels, cocaine and confidential informants galore. A quick and interesting read.

[Heather]

DNF

[Alicia Walters]

It's extremely rare for me to mark a book as DNF. Every time I tried to read this book, I immediately fell asleep. After the third time, I had to call it quits.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3.5

Bruce Porter gives us a biography of sorts of a government CI named Pilar. She sacrifices her life to help the government go after drug lords and kingpins. He also gives a mini biography on one of the investigators who was responsible for setting up the taskforce involved with tackling the "war on drugs," Tiderington.

Porter writes well, but the book gets dry at points. The story is interesting but there are alot of points where the book is more about people's different perspectives on one event.

The most bizarre thing about the book is the actual story itself. The officials in South Florida catch up with Pilar who reveals a long list of those involved in the drug business. The DEA ends up using her to set up a laundering business. They then spend the next two years seizing drug money and using it to outfit their crews. Ok - so let me get this straight - the government sets up a hit, takes the dirty money and uses it for themselves, which sounds pretty wrong to me. The author doesn't pass any judgement, which makes me think that there are people out there that think that there is nothing wrong with this picture. My question is how many people got burned that never would have laundered money.. the book doesn't get into if the people looking for the laundering services were career criminals or just involved with the criminals. Anyways, Pilar ends up getting kidnapped - it seems she is set up by her body guard in Columbia (by the way, apparently there was no investigation into who did kidnap her or any explanations/theories beyond her guard. The takeaway I get from the book is that government often screws over the CIs they work with.

[Kimberly Seibert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely everything the cover reads it to be. The story that Bruce Porter tells here of "Pilar" is intriguing on multiple accounts. There's the way she carries herself as a woman that you can't quite help but to love and then there's everything you know about her; which, despite her good heart and strong persona, is that she's tied into the drug world and was once one of the very people they are now setting up sting operations against. The kidnapping in this story is the cherry on top, it's what makes you take Pilar's team, and side, if you were hesitant to doubt what she was doing before. The way the U.S. government (a few did work hard for her return) were practically willing to "cut off the pinky to save the hand," makes you wonder what other incidents have just been squashed and silenced for the sake of reputation. In the end she hardly makes out with her life, let alone retribution. A side note to this book and something I thought about, if at one point the government seized cartel money in sums of millions and millions of dollars where exactly did all of that money go? I enjoyed reading this book and recommend it. (Per FTC Guidelines I'm disclosing this book was received in a Goodreads Giveaway)

[Richard Wise · Rating 3 out of 5]

As in"Blow" his 1993 bestseller, Bruce Porter provides us with paradigm of in depth investigating reportage. Meticulous is the word! Porter traces the career of the beautiful and charismatic Pilar from her early days at a European finishing school to her years as a drug mule, dealer, money launderer and finally agent for the DEA.

Along the way Porter shows us how a corrupt DEA conducted the War on Drugs with Pilar at one point setting up a buying group, with DEA providing both financing, transpiration and running interference from Cali to Florida then busting them in "The biggest drug haul in Florida DEA history." Granted these guys were drug dealers prior to working with Pilar, but the DEA setting up drug smuggling in order to bust the perpetrators they put up to it? Gives a whole new dimension to the word entrapment.

I read "Blow" and was fascinated. Snatched, not so much. I'm not afraid of long narratives. I've read many, but Snatched is long and it is tedious. Just couldn't get through it.

[Angela Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the story of a Columbian woman who became involved in the high end drug trade. As the story progresses, she begins working for the DEA laundering money for the cartel and providing intelligence. Towards the end of the book, she is kidnapped by Colombian guerrillas and held for ransom, ultimately being rescued by the DEA and some shady CIs.
The story is somewhat engaging, there is enough detail to keep you reading, but it is not the thrilling story I expected. What I found most interesting about this book is the details regarding how the DEA, FBI and government agencies interact with each other and take advantage of confidential informants.nits worth the read if you have nothing else up next in the roster.

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway. It was definitely interesting to see how Pilar's involvement with all levels of the drug world evolved, even more so while keeping in mind it's a true story. Interesting read and worth recommending to others.

[PENNEY GANLEY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Shelf Awareness for the free book. I loved this book. It was very exciting, kept your attention and the fact that it was based on a true story made it real. It is really sad what this young woman went through in her life. Good book to read.

[Clipinchick]

I have not had a chance to read this book at this time however I was so excited to receive it in the mail. I won this book through goodreads and can't wait to have the extra time to enjoy it. I will return in the future with a review. Again thank you for the opportunity of reviewing this book.

[Divyesh Ratilal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating Story of CI and the Adventure of a Lifetime

Easy reading book. Author wrote exceptionally well book with graphic details of a CI who put her life on the line. Could be a great movie if someone should decide to make a movie.

[Danielle Mootz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally picked up and finished this book on a camping trip. Interesting read with incredible detail of the cocaine drug world.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways.

[BMR, LCSW · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won an uncorrected Advance Reader's Edition in a Goodreads Giveaway.

It was okay. I finished reading it because I didn't have anything else with me at the time.

[Madlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not good. I couldn't get into it. It sucks.

[Periodic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this well enough...though I got bored with it about half way through before it picked back up again.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, aggravating, and informative at the same time. Recommend it if you like non fictions.