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Drug Warrior: Inside the Hunt for El Chapo and the Rise of America's Opioid Crisis
DEA Agent Jack Riley tells the inside story of his 30-year hunt for the drug kingpin known as El Chapo, and reveals the true causes of the American opioid epidemic.
Jack Riley, grandson of a Chicago cop known for using his fists, was born to be a drug warrior. Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera, who farmed marijuana and opium poppies as a teenager in Mexico, was born to be a drug lord. Their worlds collided when Riley, a career special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, was promoted to lead the fight against Chapo on the border at El Paso.
Drug Warrior is the story of Riley's decades-long hunt for the world's most wanted drug lord, set against the rise of modern international drug trafficking, and America's spiraling opioid epidemic. Jack Riley started his career as an undercover street agent in Chicago busting small-time dealers. By the time he worked his way up to second in command of the DEA-a post few field agents ever reach-he had overseen every major mission to capture foreign drug kingpins since the 1990s, and had witnessed first-hand how El Chapo changed the game. As brilliant as he was lethal, Chapo not only decimated his competition, he foresaw Americans' dependence on opioids and heroin, and manipulated supply to increase demand. Riley's story culminates as he and the DEA win their greatest victory-the capture and extradition of his long-time nemesis-and Chapo faces his darkest fear: U.S. justice.
A riveting memoir of life inside the drug wars, and a never-before-seen glimpse of the inner-workings of the DEA, Drug Warrior is a critical examination of how America's opioid crisis came to be, and the extraordinary people fighting it.
Jack Riley, grandson of a Chicago cop known for using his fists, was born to be a drug warrior. Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera, who farmed marijuana and opium poppies as a teenager in Mexico, was born to be a drug lord. Their worlds collided when Riley, a career special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, was promoted to lead the fight against Chapo on the border at El Paso.
Drug Warrior is the story of Riley's decades-long hunt for the world's most wanted drug lord, set against the rise of modern international drug trafficking, and America's spiraling opioid epidemic. Jack Riley started his career as an undercover street agent in Chicago busting small-time dealers. By the time he worked his way up to second in command of the DEA-a post few field agents ever reach-he had overseen every major mission to capture foreign drug kingpins since the 1990s, and had witnessed first-hand how El Chapo changed the game. As brilliant as he was lethal, Chapo not only decimated his competition, he foresaw Americans' dependence on opioids and heroin, and manipulated supply to increase demand. Riley's story culminates as he and the DEA win their greatest victory-the capture and extradition of his long-time nemesis-and Chapo faces his darkest fear: U.S. justice.
A riveting memoir of life inside the drug wars, and a never-before-seen glimpse of the inner-workings of the DEA, Drug Warrior is a critical examination of how America's opioid crisis came to be, and the extraordinary people fighting it.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published February 19, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
January 6, 2019
Drug Warrior: Inside the Hunt for El Chapo and the Rise of America’s Opioid Crisis
DEA agent Riley has been busting drug dealers since he started working his way up in the ranks to the number two position. His targets have grown along with his talent and ambition. For a long time now, he has been after the worst of the dealers flooding our country with all kinds of drugs, El Chapo. He became the #1 after Pablo Escobar was taken down. This was a good paced read following his different assignments as he moved through the DEA, always with one goal in mind, to get El Chapo. A great read for anyone interested in true crime or law enforcement.
A very good history on the huge influx of drugs coming into the US, simply shocking the numbers! I knew it was bad, but this was just stunning. Marijuana by the train car load. Tons of it. And that’s the just the mild stuff. It’s mind-boggling. The heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl are another story. Riley had an amazing 32-year career with the DEA and his book is quite a read. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, author Jack Riley, and the publisher for my fair review.
Also on my BookZone blog:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
DEA agent Riley has been busting drug dealers since he started working his way up in the ranks to the number two position. His targets have grown along with his talent and ambition. For a long time now, he has been after the worst of the dealers flooding our country with all kinds of drugs, El Chapo. He became the #1 after Pablo Escobar was taken down. This was a good paced read following his different assignments as he moved through the DEA, always with one goal in mind, to get El Chapo. A great read for anyone interested in true crime or law enforcement.
A very good history on the huge influx of drugs coming into the US, simply shocking the numbers! I knew it was bad, but this was just stunning. Marijuana by the train car load. Tons of it. And that’s the just the mild stuff. It’s mind-boggling. The heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl are another story. Riley had an amazing 32-year career with the DEA and his book is quite a read. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, author Jack Riley, and the publisher for my fair review.
Also on my BookZone blog:
https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...
February 26, 2022
I really thought I would enjoy this one more, but it was bland and repetitive. Jack Riley has definitely lived an interesting life, but I found that the interview I saw of him would have sufficed and the book didn't add a whole lot to it. Riley rose through the ranks of the Drug Enforcement Agency over the course of 30 years, eventually landing in a very high ranking position. He makes this story about his hunt for El Chapo, but really he's a cog in the machine and while he is instrumental in figuring out how drugs are getting from Mexico to hubs all over the US, I think he takes it a bit far with his obsession with El Chapo. I can only read so many paragraphs about his knowing that they were close, or knowing that if it was his call El Chapo would be caught, but to hear that he was in some other office on the other side of the country doing unrelated matters. I get it, it's clearly an obsession of his and it clearly wasn't always his decision to get pulled into other positions and jobs around the country, but it was just a bit too much self talk and boasting for me.
July 8, 2023
Finished reading: July 8th 2023
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
October 24, 2018
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 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!
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 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!
March 11, 2019
When a "real life" story sounds too good at times to be real, it's often fiction and so often that's what this book feels like, as the author tries to show his "street" or "tough guy" credentials loosely throwing around words like "scum", "bastard", and "dirtbag". His book makes it seem like he was almost single handedly leading the fight to capture El Chapo, and his ultimate arrest as well as the politics of Trump seem to be what this book is living off of.
March 14, 2019
4.5 stars. Very interesting read. Audio version. Narrator was good, not great. Too sterile and very fact driven.
March 11, 2020
This was an entertaining short read. Author Jack Reily rose up the ranks of the DEA, to eventually become its head.
"Drug Warrior" tells a bit of his backstory; his childhood, meeting his wife, and a few of the more exciting stories from his early career.
He became obsessed (his own words) with capturing the head of the Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. This book tells the story of the security dragnet they used to capture him in 2014.
It also covers many of his escapes; from both law enforcement, and the now-infamous escape from a maximum-security prison in Mexico via a tunnel up to his shower stall.
Chapo also evaded law enforcement before his eventual capture, via another tunnel, this one concealed below a bathtub, and accessed by pushing a button concealed in an electrical outlet that lifted the tub with hydraulics.
The secret entrance:
The tunnel below:
He was eventually re-caught and is now serving a life sentence in a Supermax prison in Colorado.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the story of Chapo Guzmán, his notorious escapes, and eventaul arrest.
4 stars.
"Drug Warrior" tells a bit of his backstory; his childhood, meeting his wife, and a few of the more exciting stories from his early career.
He became obsessed (his own words) with capturing the head of the Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. This book tells the story of the security dragnet they used to capture him in 2014.
It also covers many of his escapes; from both law enforcement, and the now-infamous escape from a maximum-security prison in Mexico via a tunnel up to his shower stall.
Chapo also evaded law enforcement before his eventual capture, via another tunnel, this one concealed below a bathtub, and accessed by pushing a button concealed in an electrical outlet that lifted the tub with hydraulics.
The secret entrance:
The tunnel below:
He was eventually re-caught and is now serving a life sentence in a Supermax prison in Colorado.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the story of Chapo Guzmán, his notorious escapes, and eventaul arrest.
4 stars.
August 20, 2023
I was very excited to read this book. Coming from an area devastated by the opioid crisis, I was considering a career with the DEA. There is not much on what the DEA is like on the internet, and this book did a phenomenal job at showing the ins and out life as a special agent from a man that has certainly had a wildly successful career. Interwoven into the story of his career are Jack Riley’s contributions to the hunt for El Chapo.
The tone of the book has much to improve. Jack Riley uses a lot of tough guy talk that I couldn’t help but laugh at times. His stories also became repetitive to a point where I quickly skimmed the last few chapters.
Overall, interesting stories and insights into the DEA but disappointed with the book.
The tone of the book has much to improve. Jack Riley uses a lot of tough guy talk that I couldn’t help but laugh at times. His stories also became repetitive to a point where I quickly skimmed the last few chapters.
Overall, interesting stories and insights into the DEA but disappointed with the book.
June 1, 2022
Well written, easy to follow where the author introduces the reader to non traditional techniques used to capture El Chapo. This book goes to show that there is another world of drugs in this country and world that most will never comprehend. The compassion Jack has for the people of his community is demonstrated with his drive to move higher within the agency to help drive change and cooperation to corner the drug cartel.
February 3, 2024
I read this because it was a popular audiobook on Libby and I actually really enjoyed it. I felt like I learned a lot but it was more entertaining than just info bc it was like “oh we’re about to catch El Chapo” and then “oh no he escaped again!” which made me want to keep reading. Didn’t know anything about the DEA before this.
October 11, 2019
A book about Jack Riley lives as a DEA agent, his rise through the agency and then with the final capture of “El Chapo”. Along the way, he also gives you a look at the problem with the different drugs that come into our country and the difficulties that not only his agency but every law enforcement agency has enforcing the laws around those drugs. What most people don’t know is just how much it affects each and every one of us and yet everyone thinks it does not. With petty theft, homeless, other crimes some of these are because of the drug crisis. Though at times the author repeats himself and maybe could have given more credit to the entire team that took down not only “El Chapo” but others and not just one person which is the way the story comes across at times. Knowing from experience, not one person can do it, it takes others even if they don’t get or want credit, so to all of them thanks. Overall a good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I GAVE IT 4 STARS. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
February 8, 2021
I read this because I drive by El Chapo's home (Supermax in Florence, CO) a few times a month. Riley conveys his experience as an DEA agent and his climb up the agency and his singular dedication to eradicating the hold El Chapo had on the illicit drug trade. Interesting.
August 9, 2019
Pretty good. Guy was very forward thinking.
March 23, 2019
Easy to read but wow did it need an editor... The author repeats himself constantly. It wasn't an enjoyable read for me. Would make for a good movie though.
March 5, 2019
3.5 for story and the very interesting career of the author. Writing is around a 2.75.
Nevertheless, it was interesting to hear of Riley’s career in the DEA and his pursuit of El Chapo before anyone even knew who he was, north of Mexico.
Nevertheless, it was interesting to hear of Riley’s career in the DEA and his pursuit of El Chapo before anyone even knew who he was, north of Mexico.
February 26, 2020
Not the best, but somewhat interesting to see how Jack Riley was able to work with the different branches of government agencies to achieve his lifelong goal, to get El Chapo Guzman. It took over 20 years, but still...
Very interesting to listen to the last couple of stints to get him, with the screw up with Sean Penn, and the last draw with El Chapo trying to escape through a tunnel... yet again!
Jack is funny as he doesn't hold back on his opinions of celebrities and politicians. The truth about the narcotics and the violence and death it creates was a good reminder. The waves of drugs throughout the last couple decades is also interesting.
Even though it was a bit hard to keep track of the timeline, this was a nice follow up to Narcos Mexico.
Very interesting to listen to the last couple of stints to get him, with the screw up with Sean Penn, and the last draw with El Chapo trying to escape through a tunnel... yet again!
Jack is funny as he doesn't hold back on his opinions of celebrities and politicians. The truth about the narcotics and the violence and death it creates was a good reminder. The waves of drugs throughout the last couple decades is also interesting.
Even though it was a bit hard to keep track of the timeline, this was a nice follow up to Narcos Mexico.
January 27, 2020
Book could have been half its length......ego, thy name is Jack Riley.
Too long, too egotistical. Most of the facts of El Chapos captures and escapes have been described in closer details by other books. I did not learn much from this book except the DEA #2 was consumed by the capture of El Chapo for 30 years and he was unsuccessful in bagging the dope kingpin.
Too long, too egotistical. Most of the facts of El Chapos captures and escapes have been described in closer details by other books. I did not learn much from this book except the DEA #2 was consumed by the capture of El Chapo for 30 years and he was unsuccessful in bagging the dope kingpin.
June 9, 2025
Insane read! Felt like I was a junior officer following him for training & hearing about the years of his life dedicated to taking ONE guy down was crazy.
April 6, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: PLATO O PLOMO – SILVER OR LEAD… FROM ESCOBAR TO EL CHAPO… RILEY NEVER RELENTS!
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This gripping story from the heart and soul of Jack Riley… who leads the reader by the hand… or more accurately… by the scruff of your neck… from being a rookie in the DEA… all the way to being the second in command. Whether in the back alleys of Chicago with bare knuckles… or in Quantico as an instructor… or to classified… claustrophobic… windowless … tiny… warehouse rooms… where he couldn’t even tell his beloved supportive wife… the address… let alone what he did at work… to the “wild-wild-west” of Mexico and Colombia. From being a street agent who went undercover in the scariest of situations… many so taut with danger… that his superiors did not want him to continue with certain undercover assignments… yet… by hook or by crook… he was unrelenting. Most of these cases…. always had his early partner… and lifelong best friend Tony at his side… or just as importantly covering his back.
Jack very quickly realized this was more than a job to him… it’s what he loved doing. He was blessed by a couple of great street-fighting mentors who showed him… how the DEA business should really be run… to be successful. Actually… not just successful… but way more successful than it had ever been. Some of the main things he was taught… and passed on by Jack himself as he rose unstoppable up the chain of command… don’t worry so much about these small dealer busts… make an organizational chart of your targets… keep following it up to the bigger players… to the top… AND… have open communication with all other agencies. And as he did… one thing became ingrained in his very being… he had his own “White Whale”… that weighed on him like ten Moby Dick’s… “EL CHAPO”!
He spent decades chasing El Chapo. He learned everything about him… and ahead of his contemporaries… what made El Chapo so successful in his world:
“I MADE A DEEP STUDY OF EL CHAPO, AND DISCOVERED A MARKETING AND LOGISTICAL GENIUS, A RUTHLESS BUSINESSMAN, A BORN SMUGGLER, AND A TRULY EVIL BASTARD. I USED ALL THAT INFORMATION LATER ON TO HUNT HIS BUTT (word changed to be approved by Amazon) DOWN.”
Along the way… the reader will be taken on undercover deals with truly murderous motorcycle gangs… busting dirty cops… be shown first-hand how meth and opioids are destroying the heart of even our smallest country towns. And the logic Riley and his crew used to legally turn the tables on the drug criminals… and not be hindered by search warrants and other obstacles… as they find the manufacturers… distributors… and Riley’s Mexican White Whale!
One of the best things about this hypnotic story… is that from start to finish… the writing and storytelling… is in everyday layman language… or as I like to say in things I’ve done and experienced in my life… it’s like one “STREET-FIGHTER”… talking to another “STREET-FIGHTER”. There is no politically correct “fluff” garbage tamping down the facts… this is real life.
I must also give much credit to Jack’s “co-author” Mitch Weiss. I didn’t realize till half way through… that his name all of a sudden sounded so familiar… I then checked and he was the author of “Tiger Force” which I as an Honorably Discharged Viet Nam Era Veteran… read 12-13 years ago… and was one of the first reviews I ever wrote and posted. Jack and Mitch are a great team and this book is truly exhilarating to read!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This gripping story from the heart and soul of Jack Riley… who leads the reader by the hand… or more accurately… by the scruff of your neck… from being a rookie in the DEA… all the way to being the second in command. Whether in the back alleys of Chicago with bare knuckles… or in Quantico as an instructor… or to classified… claustrophobic… windowless … tiny… warehouse rooms… where he couldn’t even tell his beloved supportive wife… the address… let alone what he did at work… to the “wild-wild-west” of Mexico and Colombia. From being a street agent who went undercover in the scariest of situations… many so taut with danger… that his superiors did not want him to continue with certain undercover assignments… yet… by hook or by crook… he was unrelenting. Most of these cases…. always had his early partner… and lifelong best friend Tony at his side… or just as importantly covering his back.
Jack very quickly realized this was more than a job to him… it’s what he loved doing. He was blessed by a couple of great street-fighting mentors who showed him… how the DEA business should really be run… to be successful. Actually… not just successful… but way more successful than it had ever been. Some of the main things he was taught… and passed on by Jack himself as he rose unstoppable up the chain of command… don’t worry so much about these small dealer busts… make an organizational chart of your targets… keep following it up to the bigger players… to the top… AND… have open communication with all other agencies. And as he did… one thing became ingrained in his very being… he had his own “White Whale”… that weighed on him like ten Moby Dick’s… “EL CHAPO”!
He spent decades chasing El Chapo. He learned everything about him… and ahead of his contemporaries… what made El Chapo so successful in his world:
“I MADE A DEEP STUDY OF EL CHAPO, AND DISCOVERED A MARKETING AND LOGISTICAL GENIUS, A RUTHLESS BUSINESSMAN, A BORN SMUGGLER, AND A TRULY EVIL BASTARD. I USED ALL THAT INFORMATION LATER ON TO HUNT HIS BUTT (word changed to be approved by Amazon) DOWN.”
Along the way… the reader will be taken on undercover deals with truly murderous motorcycle gangs… busting dirty cops… be shown first-hand how meth and opioids are destroying the heart of even our smallest country towns. And the logic Riley and his crew used to legally turn the tables on the drug criminals… and not be hindered by search warrants and other obstacles… as they find the manufacturers… distributors… and Riley’s Mexican White Whale!
One of the best things about this hypnotic story… is that from start to finish… the writing and storytelling… is in everyday layman language… or as I like to say in things I’ve done and experienced in my life… it’s like one “STREET-FIGHTER”… talking to another “STREET-FIGHTER”. There is no politically correct “fluff” garbage tamping down the facts… this is real life.
I must also give much credit to Jack’s “co-author” Mitch Weiss. I didn’t realize till half way through… that his name all of a sudden sounded so familiar… I then checked and he was the author of “Tiger Force” which I as an Honorably Discharged Viet Nam Era Veteran… read 12-13 years ago… and was one of the first reviews I ever wrote and posted. Jack and Mitch are a great team and this book is truly exhilarating to read!
September 6, 2020
Rating 3.5. Listened to the audio book version.
Not too bad considering I've seen jack in numerous interviews on TV/YouTube and even on Netflix recently in the episode about El Mayo. He kinda rehashes some info but I wish he went into some more information about the investigation. But I understand since in the beginning of the book he says some info is classified so he can't disclose it.
Jack is a midwest guy who rose through the ranks of the DEA first as an undercover street agent all the way to head of operations which is the #3 position in the DEA. From that point his authority and scope expanded from focusing on the border area of the U.S. and Mexico to worldwide - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Italy, Africa, Thailand/Camobida, you name it.
I found really interesting his discussion of when he first began his DEA career (after first briefly working at a Hospital after undergrad) all the focus on Pablo Escobar. Mexican criminal organizations were just seen as a drug mule akin to a UPS/Fedex of the narcotics underworld. Everyone ignored them but they started making some power moves and eventually went into distribution and created their own criminal cells/franchises in the U.S. with all the latino street gangs selling their drugs. The Colombian faded from the drug world except for producing cocaine which they still do today.
Jack thoroughly discusses the corruption in Mexico. Just another reason for me to never ever visit Mexico. Everything from fake progress of the army destroying marijuana fields (Which Chapo planted solely for the purposes of the "raid" - and he planted the cheapest worst quality of marijuana possible) - to "leaks" from sting operations to capture Chapo. Some things are just meant to be I guess. Mexico is a narco state.
Another interesting tidbit was his discussion of the value of inter agency task force operations. I've seen a lot of this when I interned at the U.S. Attorneys Office and even at my current job right now when assisting some former federal prosecutors with their white collar criminal cases. I didn't realize how useful these task force operations were but I agree with him that it's better to work together than just be fragmented and not sharing info amongst various federal and state/local law enforcement agencies.
The BEST PART was his discussion of Chicago politics. Jack was the head of the DEA office in Chicago after his stint on the border in El Paso, TX. He discussed how Richard Daley was supportive of his operations but the new Mayor, liberal Rahm Emanuel and his new chief of police McCarthy from NYC were totally disruptive and not helpful at all. It almost ended all the progress the DEA made in Chicago. Not surprising in the bit after all the damage, chaos, and looting that we see today in Portland and Seattle. You elect leaders like this then this is what happens to law and order.
Also good to hear of Jacks review of Pat Fitzgerald, the former US Attorney of the Northern District of Illinois. He bought into the idea of the interagency task force and fully supported Jack.
I would give this a higher rating only to hear Jacks views on Kiki Camarena and more details about the chase for El Chapo. Jack does share some views on the criminal organizations in the middle east, Africa, and Asia though. It's not just limited to Mexico.
Not too bad considering I've seen jack in numerous interviews on TV/YouTube and even on Netflix recently in the episode about El Mayo. He kinda rehashes some info but I wish he went into some more information about the investigation. But I understand since in the beginning of the book he says some info is classified so he can't disclose it.
Jack is a midwest guy who rose through the ranks of the DEA first as an undercover street agent all the way to head of operations which is the #3 position in the DEA. From that point his authority and scope expanded from focusing on the border area of the U.S. and Mexico to worldwide - Afghanistan, Pakistan, Italy, Africa, Thailand/Camobida, you name it.
I found really interesting his discussion of when he first began his DEA career (after first briefly working at a Hospital after undergrad) all the focus on Pablo Escobar. Mexican criminal organizations were just seen as a drug mule akin to a UPS/Fedex of the narcotics underworld. Everyone ignored them but they started making some power moves and eventually went into distribution and created their own criminal cells/franchises in the U.S. with all the latino street gangs selling their drugs. The Colombian faded from the drug world except for producing cocaine which they still do today.
Jack thoroughly discusses the corruption in Mexico. Just another reason for me to never ever visit Mexico. Everything from fake progress of the army destroying marijuana fields (Which Chapo planted solely for the purposes of the "raid" - and he planted the cheapest worst quality of marijuana possible) - to "leaks" from sting operations to capture Chapo. Some things are just meant to be I guess. Mexico is a narco state.
Another interesting tidbit was his discussion of the value of inter agency task force operations. I've seen a lot of this when I interned at the U.S. Attorneys Office and even at my current job right now when assisting some former federal prosecutors with their white collar criminal cases. I didn't realize how useful these task force operations were but I agree with him that it's better to work together than just be fragmented and not sharing info amongst various federal and state/local law enforcement agencies.
The BEST PART was his discussion of Chicago politics. Jack was the head of the DEA office in Chicago after his stint on the border in El Paso, TX. He discussed how Richard Daley was supportive of his operations but the new Mayor, liberal Rahm Emanuel and his new chief of police McCarthy from NYC were totally disruptive and not helpful at all. It almost ended all the progress the DEA made in Chicago. Not surprising in the bit after all the damage, chaos, and looting that we see today in Portland and Seattle. You elect leaders like this then this is what happens to law and order.
Also good to hear of Jacks review of Pat Fitzgerald, the former US Attorney of the Northern District of Illinois. He bought into the idea of the interagency task force and fully supported Jack.
I would give this a higher rating only to hear Jacks views on Kiki Camarena and more details about the chase for El Chapo. Jack does share some views on the criminal organizations in the middle east, Africa, and Asia though. It's not just limited to Mexico.
May 23, 2019
I'd give this one a 3.5. Although the author repeats himself occasionally and can sometimes seem a bit overly proud of his accomplishments, it is fascinating to be provided with such an insider's view on the function and responsibilities of the Drug Enforcement Administration. It's clear that Jack Riley, who rose to the place of second in command in the DEA, was a dedicated special agent and easy to see how someone like him could become obsessed about bringing El Chapo Guzman to justice. Not only did this man make billions from drug trafficking, but he and his minions were responsible for the deaths of many. As Riley describes his rise through the ranks of the DEA, he regales readers with stories of his work in Chicago, Washington, DC, St. Louis, and El Paso as different drugs became popular and opioids began to take a toll on many families. Although I wish that he'd have provided more details and more of his own solutions to what seems to have become an epidemic--51,000 individuals in the United States died of an overdose in 2018, he says--in many ways this book provides some historical perspective on the war on drugs and why it has been so unsuccessful. Many of the changes he made in the DEA are common sense, resulting in cooperation across agencies. It was fitting that he chose to retire after El Chapo, the man he sought for so long, was finally caught and brought to the United States. While the chase after El Chapo is intriguing as well as frustrating, I wish that the author had provided additional anecdotes from some of his other assignments. While he might be a little bit full of himself, perhaps it's justified when considering his accomplishments and exploits. This book certainly held my interest all the way through and made me understand more about opioids, heroin, and fentanyl. All those in law enforcement should read this book to be inspired by a very good cop and to learn from his methods. The rest of us should read it and then feel grateful that men such as Jack Riley are on the case.
December 24, 2019
I happened to read Jack Riley's book of self praise, "Drug Warrior" concurrently with Don Winslow's, "The Force." This led to some interesting observations. Winslow's book is a work of fiction while Riley's is - supposedly - factual. Winslow's lead character, Denny Malone, is an Irish New York cop who has risen to be the leader of a special anti-crime task force covering Manhattan North. Riley's lead character (himself,) is an Irish federal cop - from Chicago - who rose to one of the top positions in the DEA. Malone is dirty while Riley is simply clueless. Of the two books, I found Winslow's to be far more believable.
The tale of the DEA's long hunt to capture - and retain - "El Chapo" reads like a sequence from the "Keystone Kops." We spotted him. He slipped away. We caught him. He escaped. We caught him again. He escaped again. Now at some point a reasonable person might have thought, we have a leak somewhere inside the organization. This apparently does not occur to "Ole Jackie," despite being from one of the most corrupt cities in the country where the current mayor is ex Obama goon, Rahm Emanuel.
For me, Jack Riley might be accurately characterized as the Joe "da Buffoon" Biden of federal law enforcement. He was so focused on "getting El Chapo" he was blind to all the corruption around him. Despite the great efforts by President Trump to actually take action to solve the problems at the US-Mexico, Riley can't pass up the opportunity (much like Winslow, another anti-Trumper) to take a cheap shot at him. Perhaps this comment from Robert Grant, former head of the Chicago FBI office, sums it up best, "Jack suffers from the current cultural problems of narcissism, wrapped in hubris and tied together with fiction, which is eroding our public discourse."
The tale of the DEA's long hunt to capture - and retain - "El Chapo" reads like a sequence from the "Keystone Kops." We spotted him. He slipped away. We caught him. He escaped. We caught him again. He escaped again. Now at some point a reasonable person might have thought, we have a leak somewhere inside the organization. This apparently does not occur to "Ole Jackie," despite being from one of the most corrupt cities in the country where the current mayor is ex Obama goon, Rahm Emanuel.
For me, Jack Riley might be accurately characterized as the Joe "da Buffoon" Biden of federal law enforcement. He was so focused on "getting El Chapo" he was blind to all the corruption around him. Despite the great efforts by President Trump to actually take action to solve the problems at the US-Mexico, Riley can't pass up the opportunity (much like Winslow, another anti-Trumper) to take a cheap shot at him. Perhaps this comment from Robert Grant, former head of the Chicago FBI office, sums it up best, "Jack suffers from the current cultural problems of narcissism, wrapped in hubris and tied together with fiction, which is eroding our public discourse."
October 17, 2018
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 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.
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 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.
July 23, 2021
It's strange reading a book written by a supporter of the War on Drugs shortly after reading Overdose: Heartbreak And Hope in Canada’s Opiod Crisis. The book itself was still worth reading, and the story was still pretty good. That being said, it caused me to double-down on my belief that the War on Drugs has been a disaster, and hasn't benefitted anyone in the way it was intended.
Jack Riley makes the point that the War on Drugs is necessary because of all the people he's seen that have had their lives destroyed by drugs. However, he never considers that decriminalizing drugs and making them available for addicts would have a greater impact on those who have had their lives ruined by the same drugs.
Like I said, it's still a great story about the DEA and El Chapo, but if you want a good read about solving the opioid crisis, I recommend Overdose: Heartbreak And Hope in Canada’s Opiod Crisis
Jack Riley makes the point that the War on Drugs is necessary because of all the people he's seen that have had their lives destroyed by drugs. However, he never considers that decriminalizing drugs and making them available for addicts would have a greater impact on those who have had their lives ruined by the same drugs.
Like I said, it's still a great story about the DEA and El Chapo, but if you want a good read about solving the opioid crisis, I recommend Overdose: Heartbreak And Hope in Canada’s Opiod Crisis
June 18, 2020
I read Drug Warrior as the counterpoint to the other book I’m currently reading, “The Rise is the Warrior Cop”. The former glorifies the war on drugs while the latter demonizes it. Both are interesting but present their arguments very differently. Drug Warrior is the equivalent of a summer blockbuster. Tough guys with big guns kicking in doors. Very Fast and Furious. Rise of the Warrior Cop is a think piece documentary that won Sundance awards. If you have the time I’d read them together as they are a nice ballast to each other.
Overall, Warrior Cop is an entertaining, easy read but it is not the most dynamic storytelling. The ghost writer seems to have written it for a high school boy impressed with cop shows. My main frustration is that the book is pitched as the insider account of hunting El Chapo but winds up being mostly more about Riley’s personal ascent thru the DEA and the characters he meets along the way. Clearly, he was involved in their effort to take Chapo down but not in the day to day so the book lacks many of the details I was hoping to learn. Riley, like the rest of us, was a spectator albeit one with a much better seat. My expectation was for a Mark Bowden “Killing Pablo” read which this is not.
Overall, Warrior Cop is an entertaining, easy read but it is not the most dynamic storytelling. The ghost writer seems to have written it for a high school boy impressed with cop shows. My main frustration is that the book is pitched as the insider account of hunting El Chapo but winds up being mostly more about Riley’s personal ascent thru the DEA and the characters he meets along the way. Clearly, he was involved in their effort to take Chapo down but not in the day to day so the book lacks many of the details I was hoping to learn. Riley, like the rest of us, was a spectator albeit one with a much better seat. My expectation was for a Mark Bowden “Killing Pablo” read which this is not.
June 3, 2019
Jack Riley may seem to be "larger than life", but then, he definitely deserves this description. His story of becoming the Number 2 man in the DEA is inspirational. Not many people in modern day law enforcement can claim that he was largely responsible for arresting Public Enemy #1: Joaquin Guzman, better known as El Chapo. El Chapo was THE drug overlord from Mexico who master minded the influx of fentanyl along with heroin into every community in America from the late 90's up to today.
Riley not only describes his personal obsession in getting Guzman behind bars, but explains the difficulties all branches of the Department of Justice had with the war on drugs...until the idea of cooperation, communication and perseverance became the mantra among the DEA, FBI, IRS, ATF and ICE.
This is a very well written book that exposes the underbelly of the drug cartel, and one man's mission to bring justice to an America bewildered by an infestation of narcotics that was practically planned out by El Chapo himself.
Riley not only describes his personal obsession in getting Guzman behind bars, but explains the difficulties all branches of the Department of Justice had with the war on drugs...until the idea of cooperation, communication and perseverance became the mantra among the DEA, FBI, IRS, ATF and ICE.
This is a very well written book that exposes the underbelly of the drug cartel, and one man's mission to bring justice to an America bewildered by an infestation of narcotics that was practically planned out by El Chapo himself.
May 22, 2023
Good story if your are interested in that sort of thing but also little too corny/cliche and obviously one sided, not that any side should portray el chapo as anything other than the monster he was but just very predictable in its content. The sort of exactly what you would expect a Dea agent to say and of course there is the problem that always comes s with ghost written books of this nature, that is, it sounds like a made for TV movie or extended readers digest article. Still considering that it manages to be interesting and at times, almost fascinating, unfortunately every time it does you get ole return to the theme, Chapo was the most evil man out there. Do you really think we don’t get that by the 6th time the “author” or ghost writer said it in 75 pages. I should say one more thing about its predictability which is that Jack Riley actually has some flexibility of thought when it comes to DEA agents, so while it’s not the meat and potatoes or the text he does occasionally actually mention that there is more at work here than evil Mexican drug gangs and evil pharmacies ect.
March 5, 2019
My initial interest in this book came from me being born and raised in Chicago, which is where this author worked for most of his career. For lack of better word, I was "impressed" on the El Chapo's foresight on betting that the US legislators would make it challenging to get pseudoephedrine, so he stockpiled and corned the meth market. Then he knew that opioid prescriptions would not last forever or become too expensive to fill, so he started flooding the US with heroin which was a cheaper solution for addicts. He was always open to change to accommodate the market conditions and never just stuck to one revenue source. I realized that the war against good and evil is an endless war that is being held in many areas of humanity, which drugs are one of them. This is a good read if you've read "Dopesick" because you can see the addiction El Chapo was capitalizing on.
April 14, 2019
A friend gifted this book to me and said it was one of the best books she’s read this year. It was easy to see why - this book was exceptionally well-written and gave me a brand new perspective on the drug crisis in the United States.
Written by a retired DEA Agent, Mr. Riley goes into great detail the story of his career and how complex drug-smuggling cartels in Mexico work to infiltrate the country with millions of dollars worth of deadly drugs that have ruined so many lives in this country and in Mexico. This book was enlightening to see how deep corruption resides through bribes, extortion, and violence to keep the drug operations rolling along. The book intriguingly evolves with how El Chapo, the most notorious Mexican drug cartel kingpin, was finally brought to justice. Couldn’t put this book down and think anybody would enjoy this read. 5 stars!
Written by a retired DEA Agent, Mr. Riley goes into great detail the story of his career and how complex drug-smuggling cartels in Mexico work to infiltrate the country with millions of dollars worth of deadly drugs that have ruined so many lives in this country and in Mexico. This book was enlightening to see how deep corruption resides through bribes, extortion, and violence to keep the drug operations rolling along. The book intriguingly evolves with how El Chapo, the most notorious Mexican drug cartel kingpin, was finally brought to justice. Couldn’t put this book down and think anybody would enjoy this read. 5 stars!
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