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Deep Cover
In Deep Cover, Michael Levine takes us with him on one of the most far-reaching drug cases ever mounted—an operation that could have implicated top government officials of three South American countries in the drug trade, and could have gotten American agents deep inside La Corporation, the powerful, deadly, heretofore untouchable group of Bolivian drug lords who supply the likes of the Medellín cartel.
But, according to Levine, the DEA and the customs agency are so mismanaged, disorganized, negligent, and rivalrous that this operation, like most drug war operations, was hopelessly bungled—locked in a bureaucratic political frenzy that left agents' lives dangling, drug lords laughing, and the Washington "suits" fighting for air time and promotions.
This is the explosive, real story of why we're losing the drug war—told in the words of a true American hero whose life is dedicated to winning it.
But, according to Levine, the DEA and the customs agency are so mismanaged, disorganized, negligent, and rivalrous that this operation, like most drug war operations, was hopelessly bungled—locked in a bureaucratic political frenzy that left agents' lives dangling, drug lords laughing, and the Washington "suits" fighting for air time and promotions.
This is the explosive, real story of why we're losing the drug war—told in the words of a true American hero whose life is dedicated to winning it.
332 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
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About the author
Michael Levine
4 books10 followerswww.MichaelLevinebooks.com
Michael Levine, called “America’s top undercover agent for 25 years” by 60 Minutes, is the New York Times bestselling author of Deep Cover, The Big White Lie and Triangle of Death. , Not only was Levine one of the most decorated undercover agents in the history of the Drug Enforcement Administration but he is also one of only a handful of agents that was known for excelling at the most dangerous of all undercover assignments: “Deep Cover.” Levine would travel the globe posing as an American Mafia don armed with nothing but a false passport and a pocket full of cash to conduct face-to-face multi-ton drug trafficking deals with the world’s top drug barons. He beat the odds and lived to become a writer. He is also active as a court qualified expert and trail consultant in Covert Operations, International Narcotics Trafficking, Informant Handling and Police Use-of-force. He is currently lecturing on Undercover Survival Tactics & Informant Handling for the US State Department in Brazil. His New York City radio show can be heard on WBAI 99.5 FM as well as Sticher.com and iTunes.
www.expertwitnessradio.org
Michael Levine, called “America’s top undercover agent for 25 years” by 60 Minutes, is the New York Times bestselling author of Deep Cover, The Big White Lie and Triangle of Death. , Not only was Levine one of the most decorated undercover agents in the history of the Drug Enforcement Administration but he is also one of only a handful of agents that was known for excelling at the most dangerous of all undercover assignments: “Deep Cover.” Levine would travel the globe posing as an American Mafia don armed with nothing but a false passport and a pocket full of cash to conduct face-to-face multi-ton drug trafficking deals with the world’s top drug barons. He beat the odds and lived to become a writer. He is also active as a court qualified expert and trail consultant in Covert Operations, International Narcotics Trafficking, Informant Handling and Police Use-of-force. He is currently lecturing on Undercover Survival Tactics & Informant Handling for the US State Department in Brazil. His New York City radio show can be heard on WBAI 99.5 FM as well as Sticher.com and iTunes.
www.expertwitnessradio.org
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 22, 2014
Deep Cover is a no-nonsense, non-fiction depiction from a supremely capable and dedicated undercover public servant of the extreme waste, dishonesty, and negligent homicide perpetrated by U.S. agencies in the drug war.
I heard a radio interview with this person and was impressed with his passion and cynicism. (http://www.wbez.org/content.aspx?audi...)
Michael Levine is credible. His brother died from suicide after nineteen years of heroine addiction; Levine worked in law enforcement for decades; his son was killed in the line of police duty during a drug-related crime.
Michael Levine sets up the story as an at-first limited undercover assignment in 1987 where, against all odds, the undercover agent digs into leads that take him to the top of an international cocaine production network in Bolivia, Panama, and Mexico, complete with executives in the three governments, complicit U.S. agencies, tons of cocaine, and implications that could have potentially ended the drug war. At all times in this investigation, Levine encounters opposition, interference, and obstruction from "the suits" in charge of his agency, the DEA.
Michael Levine had led an equally crucial investigation in the early 1980s and had found himself blacklisted by his own agency. This time he documented every encounter he had as though he were undercover all the time. This book is his exposure of the fraud that is the Drug War.
http://www.policetrialexpert.com/
I heard a radio interview with this person and was impressed with his passion and cynicism. (http://www.wbez.org/content.aspx?audi...)
Michael Levine is credible. His brother died from suicide after nineteen years of heroine addiction; Levine worked in law enforcement for decades; his son was killed in the line of police duty during a drug-related crime.
Michael Levine sets up the story as an at-first limited undercover assignment in 1987 where, against all odds, the undercover agent digs into leads that take him to the top of an international cocaine production network in Bolivia, Panama, and Mexico, complete with executives in the three governments, complicit U.S. agencies, tons of cocaine, and implications that could have potentially ended the drug war. At all times in this investigation, Levine encounters opposition, interference, and obstruction from "the suits" in charge of his agency, the DEA.
Michael Levine had led an equally crucial investigation in the early 1980s and had found himself blacklisted by his own agency. This time he documented every encounter he had as though he were undercover all the time. This book is his exposure of the fraud that is the Drug War.
http://www.policetrialexpert.com/
July 24, 2020
James Mills The Underground Empire
Michael Levine Deep Cover
i think are some of the most important books for understanding deeply some of the things that rarely get spoken about
I remember him on 60 Minutes and The MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour
and he was riveting to listen to
Michael Levine Deep Cover
i think are some of the most important books for understanding deeply some of the things that rarely get spoken about
I remember him on 60 Minutes and The MacNeil-Lehrer News Hour
and he was riveting to listen to
December 11, 2018
This is an interesting book that brings some conspiracy theories into the mainstream.
September 15, 2021
I read this a long time ago and forgot to mark it in Goodreads. I remember thinking it was an amazing story and that Mr. Levine is a bad ass like you have never met before.
January 16, 2024
Awesome story
July 24, 2011
The thing about this book is that although it intrigued me intensely; it just isn't all that cracked up to be. The author sometimes act as if he couldn't believe that America and its people could ever be corrupted; and that, there isn't any fowl play involved in such situations. Suffice it to say, that my expectations about this book were null by the end of it.
Other than that, it does put light on the bad guys and the good guys. I really liked the characters of George Urquijo and Steve Nelson. They put some much needed stability into the whole fiasco. The way Levine outdid himself as Luis was also a good thing and also how he manage to record the whole case.
What really surprised me till the last page of the book, was the peculiar role David Wheeler played in the whole thing. It just seemed like a scam at times but I was really surprised at how the government could choose to ignore the only important stuff about him.
In all, I just kinda dragged through the last 70 pages of the book. That may also have been because it had too many names of the people to remember who did what wrong. The 'War on Drugs' was too messed up from the beginning anyway.
Other than that, it does put light on the bad guys and the good guys. I really liked the characters of George Urquijo and Steve Nelson. They put some much needed stability into the whole fiasco. The way Levine outdid himself as Luis was also a good thing and also how he manage to record the whole case.
What really surprised me till the last page of the book, was the peculiar role David Wheeler played in the whole thing. It just seemed like a scam at times but I was really surprised at how the government could choose to ignore the only important stuff about him.
In all, I just kinda dragged through the last 70 pages of the book. That may also have been because it had too many names of the people to remember who did what wrong. The 'War on Drugs' was too messed up from the beginning anyway.
May 2, 2010
This is an interesting story, but I just can't get past the fact that reading it feels like I'm on some sort of wacked out conspiracy theory website. The irony here is that it is a conspiracy theory, in fact it's a first hand account of an alleged major cover-up by the US government, but I just don't feel the level of shock and outrage that the author is clearly trying to provoke. I think the problem is that he comes off as so over the top that I have trouble taking him seriously. And he's so cocky and self righteous that I have trouble genuinely caring about what he's saying. Well, that, and the fact that he is way too fond of italics.
May 29, 2008
We all read crap from time to time... need a little break. When and where did I get this anyway? Interesting read...Maybe we won't backpack through the jungle in Panama....
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews